Regularization (physics)

In physics, especially quantum field theory, regularization is a method of modifying observables which have singularities in order to make them finite by the introduction of a suitable parameter called the regulator. The regulator, also known as a "cutoff", models our lack of knowledge about physics at unobserved scales (e.g. scales of small size or large energy levels). It compensates for (and requires) the possibility that "new physics" may be discovered at those scales which the present theory is unable to model, while enabling the current theory to give accurate predictions as an "effective theory" within its intended scale of use.

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enIn physics, especially quantum field theory, regularization is a method of modifying observables which have singularities in order to make them finite by the introduction of a suitable parameter called the regulator. The regulator, also known as a "cutoff", models our lack of knowledge about physics at unobserved scales (e.g. scales of small size or large energy levels). It compensates for (and requires) the possibility that "new physics" may be discovered at those scales which the present theory is unable to model, while enabling the current theory to give accurate predictions as an "effective theory" within its intended scale of use.
Has abstract
enIn physics, especially quantum field theory, regularization is a method of modifying observables which have singularities in order to make them finite by the introduction of a suitable parameter called the regulator. The regulator, also known as a "cutoff", models our lack of knowledge about physics at unobserved scales (e.g. scales of small size or large energy levels). It compensates for (and requires) the possibility that "new physics" may be discovered at those scales which the present theory is unable to model, while enabling the current theory to give accurate predictions as an "effective theory" within its intended scale of use. It is distinct from renormalization, another technique to control infinities without assuming new physics, by adjusting for self-interaction feedback. Regularization was for many decades controversial even amongst its inventors, as it combines physical and epistemological claims into the same equations. However, it is now well understood and has proven to yield useful, accurate predictions.
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Regularization (physics)
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enRegularization (physics)
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Abdus Salam
Anomaly (physics)
Atiyah–Singer index theorem
Category:Concepts in physics
Category:Quantum field theory
Category:Summability methods
Causal perturbation theory
Chiral anomaly
Classical electrodynamics
Classical electron radius
Compton wavelength
Dimensional regularization
Electromagnetic mass
Elementary particle
Elementary particles
Epistemological
Fermi interaction
Feynman diagrams
Feynman rules
Fine-structure constant
Gerard 't Hooft
Green's function
Hadamard regularization
Inertia
Kenneth G. Wilson
Lagrangian (field theory)
Landau pole
Lattice regularization
Lehmann–Symanzik–Zimmermann
Leo Kadanoff
Lorentz-invariant
Minkowski spacetime
Observables
Path-integral formulation
Paul Dirac
Pauli–Villars regularization
Perturbative
Physics
Physics beyond the standard model
Propagator
Quantum electrodynamics
Quantum field theory
Quantum gravity
Renormalization
Richard Feynman
Second order phase transition
Singularity (mathematics)
S-matrix
String theory
Ultraviolet divergence
Ultraviolet divergences
Universality (dynamical systems)
Werner Heisenberg
Wolfgang Pauli
Zeta function regularization
SameAs
DEfK
m.06dqpf
Q1156020
Regolarizzazione (fisica)
Regularisatie (natuurkunde)
Régularisation (physique)
Regularização (física)
Regularización (física)
Regularization (physics)
Регуляризация (физика)
Регуляризація
تنظيم (فيزياء)
正規化
조절 (물리학)
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Category:Concepts in physics
Category:Quantum field theory
Category:Summability methods
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