Finite temperature scalar field theory in the early universe

Journal Article · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1991 · Annals of Physics (New York); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0003-4916(91)90235-Z· OSTI ID:7206146

Leutwyler, H; Mallik, S ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Bern (Switzerland)

The authors study a scalar Higgs field in an expanding Robertson-Walker geometry, using the real time formulation of Semenoff and Weiss. It is shown that the density matrix associated with the Hamiltonian at a sharp time describes a state for which perturbation theory is not renormalizable and an alternative, renormalizable characterization of thermal equilibrium is given. They calculate the thermal quantum fluctuations surrounding a classical field and discuss the characteristic time scales occurring in the evolution of a scalar field from an initial radiation dominated phase of thermal equilibrium to an unstable, inflationary de Sitter phase.

• OSTI ID: 7206146
• Journal Information: Annals of Physics (New York); (United States), Vol. 205:1; ISSN 0003-4916
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
COSMOLOGY
QUANTUM FIELD THEORY
SCALAR FIELDS
DENSITY MATRIX
GEOMETRY
HAMILTONIANS
LTE
METRICS
PERTURBATION THEORY
RENORMALIZATION
SPACE-TIME
TIME DEPENDENCE
EQUILIBRIUM
FIELD THEORIES
MATHEMATICAL OPERATORS
MATHEMATICS
MATRICES
QUANTUM OPERATORS
662110* - General Theory of Particles & Fields- Theory of Fields & Strings- (1992-)