English

Two observers calculate the trace anomaly

High Energy Physics - Theory 2009-10-28 v2 General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology

Abstract

We adapt a calculation due to Massacand and Schmid to the coordinate independent definition of time and vacuum given by Capri and Roy in order to compute the trace anomaly for a massless scalar field in a curved spacetime in 1+1 dimensions. The computation which requires only a simple regulator and normal ordering yields the well-known result R24π\frac{R}{24\pi} in a straightforward manner.

Cite

@article{arxiv.hep-th/9508077,
  title  = {Two observers calculate the trace anomaly},
  author = {A. Z. Capri and M. Kobayashi and D. J. Lamb},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:hep-th/9508077},
  year   = {2009}
}

Comments

RevTeX, 13 pages, some typos corrected and an appendix added, this is the version to appear in Class. and Quantum Gavity

R2 v1 2026-07-22T15:55:56.645Z