nLab virtual particle

Idea

In perturbative quantum field theory, it is suggestive to think of the edges in the Feynman diagrams as worldlines of “virtual particles” and of the vertices as the points where they collide and transmute. (Care must be exercised not to confuse this with concepts of real particles.)

This intuition is made precise by the worldline formalism of perturbative quantum field theory (Strassler 92). This is the perspective on perturbative QFT which directly relates perturbative QFT to perturbative string theory (Schmidt-Schubert 94). In fact the worldline formalism for perturbative QFT was originally found by taking thre point-particle limit of string scattering amplitudes (Bern-Kosower 91, Bern-Kosower 92).

Related concepts

• relativistic particle, spinning particle, superparticle

• fundamental particle, antiparticle

• radiative correction

References

• Arnold Neumaier, The Physics of Virtual Particles

• Arnold Neumaier, Misconceptions about Virtual Particles

See also

• Wikipedia, Virtual particle