In fermion's path integral we have a measure that you can write, in terms of the Grassmann variables ψ,ˉψ as
DˉψDψ,ψ(x)=∑nanϕn(x),ˉψ(x)=∑nˉanˉϕn(x)
Where an,ˉan are Grassmann variables and ϕn(x) a set of orthonormal functions such that
∫d3x ϕ†n(x)ϕm(y)=δnm
Now if you perform a change of variables in, for instance, axial group U(1)A with an small parameter α(x), this renders
a′m=∑n(δmn+i∫d3x α(x)ϕ†m(x)γ5ϕn(x))an=∑n(1+C)mnan ˉa′m=∑n(1+C)mnˉan Cmn=i∫d3x α(x)ϕ†m(x)γ5ϕn(x)),1 is the identity
Now, following Peskin (chapter 19.2, Eq. (19.69)), the path integral meassure should change as
Dˉψ′Dψ′=DˉψDψ·(det[1+C])−2.
I don't understand where the -2 power for the Jacobian (det[1+C]) came up since if we were talking about a usual integral with usual variables we would end up with +2 power.
What am I missing?
EDIT
Thinking about the problem I found a possible explanation. Grassmann variables, let's call it η, are forced to satisfy
∫dη η=1
Therefore, a change of variables such that η changes to η′=Aη and η′ is still a Grassmann variable should fulfill
∫dη′ η′=1
But if we follow the change of variables given by Eq. (A) and we want Eq. (B) satisfied,
∫dη η=A−2∫dη′ η′=1⇔∫dη′ η′=A2
Then, we are violating Eq. (B) and η′ isn't a Grassmann variable. So, if η,η′ are Grassmann variables then the Jacobian (j=A−1) among themselves must be introduced in the measure with the opposite power sign, so:
∫dη′ η′=∫j−1·dη j·η≡1
Fine or something to complain about?
Answer
OP is right. Grassmann-odd integrals are the same thing as Grassmann-odd derivatives ∫dθj=∂∂θj, cf. e.g. this Phys.SE post and above comments by user knzhou.
For this reason, if θ′k=Mkj θj is a linear change of Grassmann-odd variables [where the matrix elements Mkj are Grassmann-even], then ∫dθ1…∫dθn = ∂∂θ1…∂∂θn = n∑k1=1∂θ′k1∂θ1∂∂θ′k1…n∑kn=1∂θ′kn∂θ1∂∂θ′kn = ∑π∈SnMπ(1)1∂∂θ′π(1)…Mπ(n)n∂∂θ′π(n) = ∑π∈SnMπ(1)1…Mπ(n)n(−1)sgn(π)∂∂θ′1…∂∂θ′n = det
More generally, change of super-integration variables transform with the superdeterminant/Berezinian.
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