AQFT from \(n\)-functorial QFT (Q1048106)

Axiomatic Quantum Field Theory (AQFT), initiated by Haag and Kastler and further developed by Doplicher, Haag and Roberts, is a mathematical scheme to describe general quantum field theory in terms of nets of local algebras of observables on flat Minkowski spacetime. On the other hand, Functorial Quantum Field Theory (FQFT), initiated by \textit{M. Atiyah} [Publ. Math., Inst. Hautes Étud. Sci. 68, 175--186 (1988; Zbl 0692.53053) and \textit{G. B. Segal} [NATO ASI Ser., Ser. C 250, 165--171 (1988; Zbl 0657.53060)] and extended by Freed, Hopkins, Lurie and others using ideas of \textit{J. C. Baez} and \textit{J. Dolan} [J. Math. Phys. 36, No. 11, 6073--6105 (1995; Zbl 0863.18004)], uses \(n\)-functors which assign to each \(n\)-dimensional spacetime region a quantum propagator. Such functors have been introduced to formalize the concept of a propagator acting on the state space and arising from an integral kernel as defined by a path (i.e., functional) integral. Passing from one description to the other mimics the well-known passage from the Heisenberg picture to the Schrödinger picture in ordinary quantum mechanics. Much progress has been made concerning the extended FQFT of finite group Chern-Simons theory by Dijkgraaf and Witten. In this article, the author uses mild assumptions to show that in two dimensions every extended 2-functor naturally yields a local net of observables. If the 2-functor is equivariant, there exists a 2-categorical exchange law guaranteeing locality. However, this does not imply the existence of a vacuum state or the fulfillment of the spectrum (positive energy) condition.