Gauge invariance of the background average effective action

Abstract

Abstract Using the background field method for the functional renormalization group approach in the case of a generic gauge theory, we study the background field symmetry and gauge dependence of the background average effective action, when the regulator action depends on external fields. The final result is that the symmetry of the average effective action can be maintained for a wide class of regulator functions, but in all cases the dependence of the gauge fixing remains on-shell. The Yang–Mills theory is considered as the main particular example.