Renormalization and Periods in Perturbative Algebraic Quantum Field Theory

Abstract

In this paper I give an overview of mathematical structures appearing in perturbative algebraic quantum field theory (pAQFT) in the case of the massless scalar field on Minkowski spacetime. I also show how these relate to Kontsevich-Zagier periods. Next, I review the pAQFT version of the renormalization group flow and reformulate it in terms of Feynman graphs. This allows me to relate Kontsevich-Zagier periods to numbers appearing in computing the pAQFTfunction.