Effective potential for the reaction-diffusion-decay system

In previous work we have developed a general method for casting stochastic partial differential equations (SPDEs) into a functional integral formalism , and have derived the one-loop effective potential for these systems. In t his paper we apply the same formalism to a specific field theory of conside rable interest, the reaction-diffusion-decay system. When this field theory is subject to white noise we can calculate the one-loop effective potentia l (for arbitrary polynomial reaction kinetics) and show that it is one-loop ultraviolet renormalizable in 1, 2, and 3 space dimensions. For specific c hoices of interaction terms the one-loop renormalizability can be extended to higher dimensions. We also show how to include the effects of fluctuatio ns in the study of pattern formation away from equilibrium, and conclude th at noise affects the stability of the system in a way which is calculable.