Numerical Evaluation of Feynman Loop Integrals by Reduction to Tree Graphs

Abstract

We present a new method for the numerical evaluation of loop integrals which is based on the Feynman Tree Theorem. The loop integrals are replaced by phase-space integration over fictitious extra on-shell particles. This integration can be performed alongside with the Monte-Carlo integration of ordinary phase space, avoiding the time-consuming nesting of loop evaluation inside the integrand, and directly leading to NLO event generation. We systematically construct subtractions, necessary to cancel both ultraviolet divergences and the extra threshold singularities in phase-space which arise in the numerical evaluation. Infrared singularities can be dealt with by standard methods. As a proof of concept, we apply the method to NLO Bhabha scattering in QED and construct the corresponding NLO Monte Carlo event generator.