The Geometric Universal One-Loop Effective Action

Abstract

We derive universal formulae for integrating out heavy degrees of freedom in scalar field theories up to one-loop level in terms of covariant quantities associated with the geometry of the field manifold. The universal matching results can be readily applied to phenomenologically interesting extensions of the Standard Model, as we demonstrate using a singlet scalar example. We also discuss the role of field redefinitions in effective field theory matching and simplifications resulting from going to a field basis where interactions are encoded in a nontrivial metric on the field manifold.