Simplified method for trace anomaly calculations in d <= 6 - art. no. 047701

We discuss a simplified method for computing trace anomalies in dimensions d less than or equal to6. It is known that in the quantum mechanical approa ch trace anomalies in d dimensions are given by a (d/2 + 1)-loop computatio n in an auxiliary 1D sigma model with arbitrary geometry. We show how one c an obtain the same information using a simpler (d/2)-loop calculation on an arbitrary geometry supplemented by a (d/2 + 1)-loop calculation on the sim plified geometry of a maximally symmetric space.