In
theoretical physics
Theoretical physics is a branch of physics that employs mathematical models and abstractions of physical objects and systems to rationalize, explain and predict natural phenomena. This is in contrast to experimental physics, which uses experim ...
, the word meta-operator is sometimes used to refer to a specific operation over a combination of operators, as in the example of
path-ordering
In theoretical physics, path-ordering is the procedure (or a meta-operator \mathcal P) that orders a product of operators according to the value of a chosen parameter:
:\mathcal P \left\
\equiv O_(\sigma_) O_(\sigma_) \cdots O_(\sigma_).
He ...
. A meta-operator is generally neither an operator (a
linear transform
In mathematics, and more specifically in linear algebra, a linear map (also called a linear mapping, linear transformation, vector space homomorphism, or in some contexts linear function) is a mapping V \to W between two vector spaces that pre ...
on the
vector space
In mathematics and physics, a vector space (also called a linear space) is a set whose elements, often called ''vectors'', may be added together and multiplied ("scaled") by numbers called '' scalars''. Scalars are often real numbers, but can ...
) nor a
superoperator (a
linear transform
In mathematics, and more specifically in linear algebra, a linear map (also called a linear mapping, linear transformation, vector space homomorphism, or in some contexts linear function) is a mapping V \to W between two vector spaces that pre ...
on the space of operators).
Theoretical physics
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