<A NAME=G>
<TITLE>G</TITLE></A>
<b><a href=r37_idx.html>INDEX</a></b><p><p>
<B>G</B> _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ <B>operator</B><P>
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<em>g</em> is an n-ary operator used to denote a product of gamma matrices
contracted with Lorentz four-vectors, in high-energy physics.
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syntax: </H3>
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<em>g</em>(<identifier>,<vector-expr>
{,<vector-expr>}*)
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<identifier> is a scalar identifier representing a fermion line
identifier, <vector-expr> can be any valid vector expression,
representing a vector or a gamma matrix.
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examples: </H3>
<P><PRE><TT>
vector aa,bb,cc;
vector a;
g(line1,aa,bb);
AA.BB
g(line2,aa,a);
0
g(id,aa,bb,cc);
0
g(li1,aa,bb) + k;
AA.BB + K
let aa.bb = m*k;
g(ln1,aa)*g(ln1,bb);
K*M
g(ln1,aa)*g(ln2,bb);
0
</TT></PRE><P>The vector <em>A</em> is reserved in arguments of <em>g</em> to de
note the
special gamma matrix gamma_5. It must be declared to
be a vector before you use it.
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Gamma matrix expressions are associated with fermion lines in a Feynman
diagram. If more than one line occurs in an expression, the gamma
matrices involved are separate (operating in independent spin space), as
shown in the last two example lines above. A product of gamma matrices
associated with a single line can be entered either as a single <em>g</em>
command with several vector arguments, or as products of separate <em>g</em>
commands each with a single argument.
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While the product of vectors is not defined, the product, sum and
difference of several gamma expressions are defined, as is the product of
a gamma expression with a scalar. If an expression involving gamma
matrices includes a scalar, the scalar is treated as if it were the
product of itself with a unit 4 x 4 matrix.
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Dirac expressions are evaluated by computing the trace of the expression
using the commutation algebra of gamma matrices. The algorithms used are
described in articles by J. S. R. Chisholm in <Il Nuovo Cimento X,> Vol.
30, p. 426, 1963, and J. Kahane, <Journal of Mathematical Physics>,
Vol. 9, p. 1732, 1968. The trace is then divided by 4 to distinguish
between the trace of a scalar and the trace of an expression that is the
product of a scalar with a unit 4 x 4 matrix.
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Trace calculations may be prevented over any line identifier by declaring it
to be
<A HREF=r37_0415.html>nospur</A>. If it is later desired to evaluate these trace
s,
the declaration can be undone with the
<A HREF=r37_0417.html>spur</A> declaration.
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The notation of Bjorken and Drell, <Relativistic Quantum Mechanics,>
1964, is assumed in all operations involving gamma matrices. For an
example of the use of <em>g</em> in a calculation, see the <REDUCE
User's Manual>.
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