Real Quantum Field Theory, J-Quantization, and Standard Model

Abstract

We present a formulation of quantum field theory based entirely on real numbers, which we call real quantum field theory (RQFT). The construction is obtained from the standard complex-number formulation by replacing the imaginary unit i with a matrix J throughout all formulas. Here J is the real 2x2 matrix satisfying the condition J^2=-1. This extends the recently developed formulation of real quantum mechanics based on the real Kähler space to systems with infinitely many degrees of freedom. As the basic example, we construct the RQFT for a scalar field. We define a field operator acting on the real Kähler analogue of the bosonic Fock space. This operator satisfies the Klein-Gordon equation and the J-form of canonical commutation relation. To construct the RQFT we develop the corresponding J-calculus. In particular, we introduce the direct and inverse J-Fourier transforms and the associated J-valued distributions. In RQFT, the usual unitarity condition for the complex S-matrix is replaced by the statement that the real scattering operator is both orthogonal and symplectic. The physical observables in RQFT coincide with those of ordinary QFT. Thus RQFT does not change the physical predictions of scalar QFT, but provides an equivalent formulation. We explore the possibility of purely real formulations of the Standard Model of elementary particles. We show that it does admit this formulation and the resulting theory has ortho-symplectic symmetry. The choice of the Standard Model as the testbed for exploring the possibility of purely real formulations is related with the fact it provides a realistic description of all known fundamental particles. The real formulation of the Standard Model naturally suggests a possible exit beyond the Standard Model. In particular, we consider the implications of breaking the J-symmetry as a marker for new physics.