Renormalization of the commutative scalar theory with harmonic term to all orders (Q383511)

Quantum field theory is highly developed and result from renormalized perturbative Feynman expansions agree with experiments to a very high precision. Nevertheless this expansion is not based on a mathematical rigorous procedure. In addition, we have many indications, that such expansions for four dimensional models will even not be Borel convergent. Furthermore gravity is not included within the Standard model of particle physics. Summarizing we can say, that all these models lack a deap understanding. Therefore a number physicist stated in the nineties to study quantum fields defined over a quantized (or deformed) space-time. The idea behind is, that gravity will modify space-time at tiny distances and lead to a quantization of it. It was soon realized, that such models will not be finite in pertubation theory, but, in addition to the standard divergences, additional ones will occur. This phenomenon is called infrared-ultraviolet mixing. These additional divergences make the simplest scalar self-interacting field theory already non-renormalizable. A solution was found by a careful analysis of the structure of divergences, which occur in the graph expansion. It was realized, that besides the kinetic energy term, the mass term and the interaction term an additional operator should be added (so called oscillator term), which makes the model renormalizable. This resulting model is called the Grosse-Wulkenhaar model and the paper of Axel de Goursac deals with properties of that model. The first proof of renormalizability of that model followed Polchinskis ideas. Next the Paris group used a multi scale analysis in coordinate space. And in the present paper Axel de Goursac applies the multiscale analysis in momentum space. The free propagator is given by the Mehler heat kernel, for which a suitable bound is derived. Next scales are prescribed at each line of a graph, and the momenta are sliced. The diagrams, which would lead to divergences are identified. From the divergence structure it is clear, that the model becomes nonrenormalizable in higher than four dimensions, it is superrenormalizable in less than four dimensions and just renormalizable in four dimensions. Although there are an infinite number of divergent diagrams, they all can be renormalized by a recursive procedure. Now the beta function can be calculated to first order in perturbation theory. That the flow stays bounded as a function of the cutoff is re-derived, the new nontrivial fixed point at a special value of the parameter space is confirmed. All this is also done for a degenerate model, where only two out of the four coordinates are deformed, although some care is needed, since one more operator has to be added, in order to get a renormalizable model. This paper is written in a clear style and adds to our understanding of nontrivial field theory models in four space-time dimensions. In the meantime, the model has also been constructed in a non-perturbative way. I am convinced, that we will learn a lot from such ``solvable'' models of four dimensional quantum field theory, since these are the first nontrivial examples.