We shortly review point-form quantum field theory, i.e. the canonical quantization of a relativistic field theory on a Lorentz-invariant surface of the form $x_mu x^mu = tau^2$. As an example of how point-form quantum field theory may enter the framework of relativistic quantum mechanics we discuss the calculation of the electromagnetic form factor of a confined quark-antiquark pair (e.g. the pion).
We examine canonical quantization of relativistic field theories on the forward hyperboloid, a Lorentz-invariant surface of the form $x_mu x^mu = tau^2$. This choice of quantization surface implies that all components of the 4-momentum operator are affected by interactions (if present), whereas rotation and boost generators remain interaction free -- a feature characteristic of Diracs `` point-formrqrq of relativistic dynamics. Unlike previous attempts to quantize fields on space-time hyperboloids, we keep the usual plane-wave expansion of the field operators and consider evolution of the system generated by the 4-momentum operator. We verify that the Fock-space representations of the Poincare generators for free scalar and spin-1/2 fields look the same as for equal-time quantization. Scattering is formulated for interacting fields in a covariant interaction picture and it is shown that the familiar perturbative expansion of the S-operator is recovered by our approach. An appendix analyzes special distributions, integrals over the forward hyperboloid, that are used repeatedly in the paper.
We present a study of the electromagnetic structure of the nucleons with constituent quark models in the framework of relativistic quantum mechanics. In particular, we address the construction of spectator-model currents in the instant and point forms. Corresponding results for the elastic nucleon electromagnetic form factors as well as charge radii and magnetic moments are presented. We also compare results obtained by different realistic nucleon wave functions stemming from alternative constituent quark models. Finally, we discuss the theoretical uncertainties that reside in the construction of spectator-model transition operators.
We present a calculation of the electromagnetic form factors of the $rho^+$ meson. Our formalism is based on the point-form of relativistic quantum mechanics. Electron-$rho$-meson scattering is formulated as a coupled-channel problem for a Bakamjian-Thomas mass operator, such that the dynamics of the exchanged photon is taken explicitly into account. The $rho$-meson current is extracted from on-shell matrix elements of the optical potential of the scattering process. As a consequence of the violation of cluster separability in the Bakamjian-Thomas framework, our current includes additional, unphysical contributions, which can be separated from the physical ones uniquely. Our results for the form factors are in good agreement with other approaches.
We discuss electromagnetic currents in the point-form formulation of relativistic quantum mechanics. The construction is along a spectator model and implies that only one quark is explicitly coupled to the photon, but nevertheless many-body contributions are present in the current operator. Such effects are unavoidable in relativistic constructions and resulting ambiguities are notably reduced by imposing charge normalization and time-reversal invariance. The residual theoretical indetermination introduces small but sizeable changes in the nucleon form-factors, particularly at higher Q-squared values, with the data generally centered in the middle of the theoretical band.
In this paper the dependence of meson-nucleon-nucleon vertex form factors is studied as a function of termperature. The results are obtained starting from a zero temperature Bonn potential. The temperature dependence of the vertex form factors and radii is studied in the thermofield dynamics, a real-time operator formalism of finite temperature field theory. It is anticipated that these results will have an impact on the study of relativistic heavy-ion collisions as the critical temperature for the phase transition from hadronic to quark-gluon system is approached.