Charges in spacelike cones (Q5903023): Difference between revisions

The problem of giving a precise meaning to the integral (the charge in S) \(\int_{s}j^ 0(0,x)d^ 3x\) over a spatial cone S for a conserved current is studied. Let \(S_ 1\) be a spacelike cone (i.e. a cone bounded by spacelike half lines) such that \(LS\subset S_ 1\) for all small Poincaré transformations L. Candidates for charge operators \(Q_ S\) which have the same commutation relations with fields in the causal shadow of S and which are localized in \(S_ 1\) will be a smeared out average of the formal charge operator \(Q_{\Sigma}=\int_{\Sigma}\epsilon^{\mu \nu \rho \tau}j_{\mu}d\sigma_{\nu \rho \tau}\) where averaging will be over the spacelike surface \(\Sigma\) in \(S_ 1\) with its causal shadow containing S. The existence of such an operator \(Q_ S\) is shown under a condition on the 2-point functions of \(j_{\mu}\), which is satisfied in theories with a mass gap as well as for the electric current in quantum electrodynamics, but not in the case of the massless free scalar field. \(Q_ S\) is essentially selfadjoint in the case of a free massive scalar field. The last result implies the existence of interpolating type I factors for spacelike cones for the neutral free field. Such interpolating type I factors are known not to exist for a dilation invariant theory.