Abstract
Path integrals are considered for the cases where the underlying manifold is multiply connected or non-flat. In case of multiple connectivity, the contributions of different homotopy classes of paths are analyzed with the help of covering spaces. In case of a non-flat manifold, it is pointed out that a judicious choice of the free Hamiltonian operator and of normalizing factors can eliminate the explicit occurrence of the scalar curvature. (A heuristic approach to path integrals is adopted in case of non-flat spaces.)
The present article constitutes a revised text of a seminar which the author gave at a summer school at T.U. Clausthal in 1979. This article is included in the present proceedings by a special arrangement with the editors.
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Tarski, J. (1982). Path integrals over manifolds. In: Doebner, HD., Andersson, S.I., Petry, H.R. (eds) Differential Geometric Methods in Mathematical Physics. Lecture Notes in Mathematics, vol 905. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/BFb0092440
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BFb0092440
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