Entropy of a classical stochastic field and cosmological perturbations

Journal Article · Mon Dec 21 00:00:00 EST 1992 · Physical Review Letters; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.69.3606· OSTI ID:6892914

Brandenberger, R; Mukhanov, V; Prokopec, T ^[1]

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1. Physics Department, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island 02912 (United States) Institute of Theoretical Physics, Eidgenoessische Technische Hochschule Hoenggerberg, CH-8093 Zuerich (Switzerland) Institute for Theoretical Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106 (United States)

We propose a general definition of nonequilibrium entropy of a classical stochastic field. As an example of particular interest in cosmology we apply this definition to compute the entropy of density perturbations in an inflationary Universe. On the scales of structures in the Universe, the entropy of density perturbations dominates over the statistical fluctuations of the entropy of cosmic microwave photons, indicating the relevance of the entropy of density fluctuations for structure formation.

• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76ER03130
• OSTI ID: 6892914
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters; (United States), Vol. 69:25; ISSN 0031-9007
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
COSMOLOGY
PERTURBATION THEORY
QUANTUM FIELD THEORY
STOCHASTIC PROCESSES
CALCULATION METHODS
CORRELATIONS
COSMIC RADIATION
ENTROPY
INFLATIONARY UNIVERSE
PROBABILITY
SCALAR FIELDS
COSMOLOGICAL MODELS
FIELD THEORIES
IONIZING RADIATIONS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
RADIATIONS
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
662110* - General Theory of Particles & Fields- Theory of Fields & Strings- (1992-)