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I'm trying to calculate the expectation value of the stress tensor in 2D following the book "Quantum fields in curved space" (Birrell and Davies). In 2D the divergent contribution to the one-loop effective action is \begin{equation} W_{div}=\frac{1}{2(4\pi)^{n/2}}\left(\frac{m}{\mu}\right)^{n-2}\Gamma\left(1-\frac{n}{2}\right)\int d^{n}x[-g(x)]^{1/2}\frac{R(x)}{6}. \end{equation} So, the contribution to the trace of the stress tensor should be \begin{align} \langle T_{\mu}^{\mu}\rangle_{div}&=-\frac{2}{\sqrt{-g}}g^{\mu\nu}\frac{\delta W_{div}}{\delta g^{\mu\nu}}=\notag\\ &=-\frac{2}{\sqrt{-g}}g^{\mu\nu}\frac{1}{2(4\pi)^{n/2}}\left(\frac{m}{\mu}\right)^{n-2}\Gamma\left(1-\frac{n}{2}\right)\frac{1}{6}\frac{\delta}{\delta g^{\mu\nu}}\int d^{n}x\sqrt{-g}R(x)=\notag\\ &=\frac{1}{2(4\pi)^{n/2}}\left(\frac{m}{\mu}\right)^{n-2}\Gamma\left(1-\frac{n}{2}\right)\frac{1}{6}g^{\mu\nu}\left(R_{\mu\nu}-\frac{1}{2}g_{\mu\nu}R\right)=\notag\\ &=\frac{1}{2(4\pi)^{n/2}}\left(\frac{m}{\mu}\right)^{n-2}\Gamma\left(1-\frac{n}{2}\right)\frac{1}{6}\left(R-\frac{1}{2}nR\right)=\notag\\ &=\frac{1}{2(4\pi)^{n/2}}\left(\frac{m}{\mu}\right)^{n-2}\frac{2}{(2-n)}\frac{(2-n)}{2}\frac{R}{6}. \end{align} Taking $n=2$ one has \begin{equation} \langle T_{\mu}^{\mu}\rangle_{div}=\frac{R}{48\pi}. \end{equation} But the correct result is \begin{equation} \langle T_{\mu}^{\mu}\rangle_{div}=\frac{R}{24\pi}. \end{equation} Can someone help me understand where the mistake is?

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  • $\begingroup$ Which eqs? Which page? $\endgroup$
    – Qmechanic
    Commented Apr 15, 2022 at 10:50
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    $\begingroup$ I think you missed a factor of 2 in going from the second line to third line. $\endgroup$
    – Prahar
    Commented Apr 15, 2022 at 11:41
  • $\begingroup$ Can you please explain from where the missing factor of 2 comes from? $\endgroup$
    – mat5teo
    Commented Apr 15, 2022 at 13:29
  • $\begingroup$ It's page 174, but instead of doing the calculation for n=4 I need it for n=2 $\endgroup$
    – mat5teo
    Commented Apr 15, 2022 at 13:30

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