Infrared phenomena in quantum electrodynamics : I. The physical one-electron states in the infrared region

Abstract

In view of remaining obscurities and difficulties in existing treatments of the infrared divergences in quantum electrodynamics this problem has been considered anew. The approximate model introduced in 1937 by Bloch and Nordsieck is rediscussed. It is explicitly shown to be a good substitute for the complete theory as long as one restricts oneself to infrared radiation. A non-covariant diagram technique is used to prove that neglect of recoil and pair effects is indeed allowed in the infrared radiation range. The effects of vacuum polarization and charge renormalization require special attention. They are treated in second order with the regularization method of Pauli and Villars.