Techniques of Distributions in Perturbative Quantum Field Theory (II) Applications to Theory of Multiloop Diagrams

Abstract

The results of the mathematical theory of asymptotic operation developed in hep-th/9612037 are applied to problems of immediate physical interest. First, the problem of UV renormalizationis analyzed from the viewpoint of asymptotic behaviour of integrands in momentum representation. A new prescription for UV renormalization in momentum space representation is presented (generalized minimal subtraction scheme); it ensures UV convergence of renormalized diagrams by construction, makes no use of special (e.g. dimensional) regularizations, and comprizes massless renormalization schemes (including the MS scheme). Then we present formal regularization-independent proofs of general formulae for Euclidean asymptotic expansions of renormalized Feynman diagrams (inlcuding short-distance OPE, heavy mass expansions and mixed asymptotic regimes etc.) derived earlier in the context of dimensional regularization. This result, together with the new variant of UV renormalization, demonstrates the power of the new techniques based on a systematic use of the theory of distributions and establishes the method of As-operation as a comprehensive full-fledged---and inherently more powerful---alternative to the BPHZ approach.