Nontopological Finite Temperature Induced Fermion Number

Journal Article · Mon Feb 26 00:00:00 EST 2001 · Physical Review Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.86.1690· OSTI ID:40205838

Aitchison, I J. R.; Dunne, G V

We show that while the zero temperature induced fermion number in a chiral sigma model background depends only on the asymptotic values of the chiral field, at finite temperature the induced fermion number depends also on the detailed shape of the chiral background. We resum the leading low temperature terms to all orders in the derivative expansion, producing a simple result that can be interpreted physically as the different effect of the chiral background on virtual pairs of the Dirac sea and on the real particles of the thermal plasma. By contrast, for a kink background, not of sigma model form, the finite T induced fermion number is temperature dependent but topological.

• Sponsoring Organization: (US)
• OSTI ID: 40205838
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters, Vol. 86, Issue 9; Other Information: DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.86.1690; Othernumber: PRLTAO000086000009001690000001; 041108PRL; PBD: 26 Feb 2001; ISSN 0031-9007
• Publisher: The American Physical Society
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
ENANTIOMORPHS
FERMIONS
PLASMA
SEAS
SHAPE
SIGMA MODEL