SPIN in the worldline path integral in \(2 + 1\) dimensions (Q2472353)

A path integral for the effective action and the propagator of a Dirac field in 2+1 dimensional space-time is derived in terms of space-time and SU(2) paths. The Grassmannian variables are not used in the construction suggested. The starting point is a relativistic integral of world-lines \(x(\tau)\) depending on the `fifth parameter', or `proper time' as it has been proposed by Feynman (1949) and Schwinger (1951). The resulting dynamics of spin degrees of freedom is studied with the help of the semiclassical expansion. It is shown that the classical equation of motion can be written in terms of the intrinsic geometric properties of the space-time path (arc length, curvature and torsion). Finally, the transformation properties of the gauge group variables are used for evaluating the gauge-group path integral. This yields a world-line path integral over space-time paths only, weighed by an `effective world-line action' which selects paths with \(\dot{x} = 1\). See also the following on (non-Grassmannian) path integrals for spinning particles in the fiber bundles over 3+1 space-times: \textit{L. Schulman}, Phys. Rev. 176, 1558--1569 (1968); \textit{M. B. Mensky}, Theor. Math. Phys. 18, No. 2, 136--144 (1974); translation from Teor. Mat. Fiz. 18, 190--202 (1974); Path Group: Measurements, Fields, Particles (in Russian), Nauka, Moscow (1983); extended Japanese translation: Yoshioka, Kyoto (1988).