Renormalisation of out-of-equilibrium quantum fields Original Research Article

We consider the initial value problem and its renormalisation in the framework of the two-particle-irreducible (2PI) effective action. We argue that in the case of appropriately chosen self-consistent initial conditions, the counterterms needed to renormalise the system in equilibrium are also sufficient to renormalise its time evolution. In this way we improve on Gaussian initial conditions which have the disadvantage of generically not showing a continuum limit. For a more detailed discussion see [Sz. Borsányi and U. Reinosa, arXiv:0809.0496].