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"Supersymmetry and the Möbius inversion function"

Donald Spector

(from Communications in Mathematical Physics 127 (1990) 239-252)


Abstract. "We show that the Möbius inversion function of number theory can be interpreted as the operator (-1)F in quantum field theory. Consequently, we are able to provide physical interpretations for various properties of the Möbius inversion function. These include a physical understanding of the Möbius Inversion Formula and of a result that is equivalent to the prime number theorem. Supersymmetry and the Witten index play a central role in these constructions."

1. Introduction

2. Gödel, Möbius, Witten

3. Infinite Sums and the Prime Number Theorem

4. The Möbius Inversion Formula

5. Conclusions

References