Wigner functions and density matrices in curved spaces as computational tools

Journal Article · Mon May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1989 · Ann. Phys. (N.Y.); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0003-4916(89)90321-7· OSTI ID:5887411

Habib, S; Kandrup, H E

This paper contrasts two alternative approaches to statistical quantum field theory in curved spacetimes, namely (1) a canonical Hamiltonian approach, in which the basic object is a density matrix /rho/ characterizing the noncovariant, but globally defined, modes of the field; and (2) a Wigner function approach, in which the basic object is a Wigner function /ital f/ defined quasilocally from the Hadamard, or correlation, function /ital G//sub 1/(/ital x//sub 1/, /ital x//sub 2/). The key object is to isolate on the conceptual biases underlying each of these approaches and then to assess their utility and limitations in effecting concerete calculations. The following questions are therefore addressed and largely answered. What sort of spacetimes (e.g., de Sitter or Friedmann-Robertson-Walker) are comparatively eas to consider What sorts of objects (e.g., average fields or renormalized stress energies) are easy to compute approximately What, if anything, can be computed exactly What approximations are intrinsic to each approach or convenient as computational tools What sorts of ''field entropies'' are natural to define /copyright/ 1989 Academic Press, Inc.

• Research Organization: Department of Physics, University of Maryland College Park, Maryland 20742 (US); Institute for Fundamental Theory and Space Astronomy Laboratory, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611
• OSTI ID: 5887411
• Journal Information: Ann. Phys. (N.Y.); (United States), Journal Name: Ann. Phys. (N.Y.); (United States) Vol. 191:2; ISSN APNYA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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657003* -- Theoretical & Mathematical Physics-- Relativity & Gravitation
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
BOLTZMANN EQUATION
CANONICAL TRANSFORMATIONS
COSMOLOGY
DENSITY MATRIX
DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
ENTROPY
EQUATIONS
FIELD EQUATIONS
FIELD THEORIES
HAMILTONIANS
MATHEMATICAL OPERATORS
MATRICES
PARTIAL DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
QUANTUM FIELD THEORY
QUANTUM OPERATORS
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
TRANSFORMATIONS
WIGNER THEORY