Narrow Results

A large d (space dimension) expansion together with the ∊-expansion is implemented to calculate the Kolmogorov constant from the energy equation of Kraichnan's direct-interaction approximation using the Heisenberg's eddy-viscosity approximation and Kraichnan's distant-interaction algorithm. The Kolmogorov constant C is found to be C = C₀ d^1/3 in the leading order of a 1/d expansion. This is consistent with Fournier, Frisch, and Rose. The constant C₀ evaluated in the above scheme, is found to be C₀ = (16/27)^1/3.

The tasks posed for renormalization group theory (RGT) within statistical physics by critical phenomena theory in the 1960's are set out briefly in contradistinction to quantum field theory (QFT), which was the origin for Ken Wilson's concerns. Kadanoff's 1966 block spin scaling picture and its difficulties are presented; Wilson's early vision of flows is described from the author's perspective. How Wilson's subsequent breakthrough ideas, published in 1971, led to the epsilon expansion and the resulting clarity is related. Concluding sections complete the general picture of flows in a space of Hamiltonians, universality and scaling. The article represents a 40% condensation (but with added items) of an earlier account: Rev. Mod. Phys.70, 653–681 (1998).

We describe a technically very simple analytical approach to the deep infrared regime of Yang–Mills theory in the Landau gauge via Callan–Symanzik renormalization group equations in an epsilon expansion. This approach recovers all the solutions for the infrared gluon and ghost propagators previously found by solving the Dyson–Schwinger equations of the theory and singles out the solution with decoupling behavior, confirmed by lattice calculations, as the only one corresponding to an infrared attractive fixed point (for space-time dimensions above two). For the case of four dimensions, we describe the crossover of the system from the ultraviolet to the infrared fixed point and determine the complete momentum dependence of the propagators. The results for different renormalization schemes are compared to the lattice data.

The tasks posed for renormalization group theory (RGT) within statistical physics by critical phenomena theory in the 1960’s are set out briefly in contradistinction to quantum field theory (QFT), which was the origin for Ken Wilson’s concerns. Kadanoff’s 1966 block spin scaling picture and its difficulties are presented;Wilson’s early vision of flows is described from the author’s perspective. How Wilson’s subsequent breakthrough ideas, published in 1971, led to the epsilon expansion and the resulting clarity is related. Concluding sections complete the general picture of flows in a space of Hamiltonians, universality and scaling. The article represents a 40% condensation (but with added items) of an earlier account: Rev. Mod. Phys.70, 653–681 (1998).