Spectral representation and dispersion relations in field theory on noncommutative space

study the spectral representation and dispersion relations that follow from some basic assumptions and the reduced spacetime symmetries on noncommutative (NC) space. Kinematic variables involving the NC parameter appear naturally as parametric variables in this analysis. When subtractions are necessary to remove ultraviolet divergences, they are always made at the fixed values of these NC variables. This point is also illustrated by a perturbative analysis of self-energies. Our analysis of the reduced spacetime symmetries suggests a weaker microcausality requirement. Starting from it, we make a first attempt at dispersion relations for forward scattering. It turns out that the attempt is hampered by a new unphysical region specified by a given motion in the NC plane which does not seem to be surmountable using the usual tricks. Implications for a possible subtraction and renormalization scheme for NC field theory in which the ultraviolet-infrared (UV/IR) mixing is removed are also briefly commented on. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.