54574593
Macroscopic quantum phenomena from the large N perspective
Macroscopic quantum phenomena (MQP) is a relatively new research venue, with exciting ongoing experiments and bright prospects, yet with surprisingly little theoretical activity. What makes MQP intellectually stimulating is because it is counterpoised against the traditional view that macroscopic means classical. In this series of papers we report on a systematic investigation into some key foundational issues of MQP, with the hope of constructing a viable theoretical framework for this new endeavour. The three major themes discussed in these three essays are the large N expansion, the correlation hierarchy and quantum entanglement for systems of `large' sizes, with many components or degrees of freedom. In this paper we use different theories in a variety of contexts to examine the conditions or criteria whereby a macroscopic quantum system may take on classical attributes, and, more interestingly, that it keeps some of its quantum features. The theories we consider here are, the O(N) quantum mechanical model, semiclassical stochastic gravity and gauge / string theories; the contexts include that of a `quantum roll' in inflationary cosmology, entropy generation in quantum Vlasov equation for plasmas, the leading order and next-to-leading order large N behaviour, and hydrodynamic / thermodynamic limits. By examining different representative systems where detailed theoretical analysis has been carried out, we find that there is no a priori good reason why quantum phenomena in macroscopic objects cannot exist.
119407258
Quantum statistical processes in the early universe
We show how the concept of quantum open system and the methods in non-equilibrium statistical mechanics can be usefully applied to studies of quantum statistical processes in the early universe. We first sketch how noise, fluctuation, dissipation and decoherence processes arise in a wide range of cosmological problems. We then focus on the origin and nature of noise in quantum fields and spacetime dynamics. We introduce the concept of geometrodynamic noise and suggest a statistical mechanical definition of gravitational entropy. We end with a brief discussion of the theoretical appropriateness to view the physical universe as an open system.
18511662
Noise and fluctuations in semiclassical gravity.
We continue our earlier investigation of the back reaction problem in semiclassical gravity with the Schwinger-Keldysh or closed-time-path (CTP) functional formalism using the language of the decoherent history formulation of quantum mechanics. Making use of its intimate relation with the Feynman-Vernon influence functional method, we examine the statistical mechanical meaning and show the interrelation of the many quantum processes involved in the back reaction problem, such as particle creation, decoherence, and dissipation. We show how noise and fluctuation arise naturally from the CTP formalism. We derive an expression for the CTP effective action in terms of the Bogoliubov coefficients and show how noise is related to the fluctuations in the number of particles created. In so doing we have extended the old framework of semiclassical gravity, based on the mean field theory of Einstein equation with a source given by the expectation value of the energy-momentum tensor, to that based on a Langevin-type equation, where the dynamics of the fluctuations of spacetime is driven by the quantum fluctuations of the matter field. This generalized framework is useful for the investigation of quantum processes in the early Universe involving fluctuations, vacuum instability, and phase transition phenomena as well as the nonequilibrium thermodynamics of black holes. It is also essential to an understanding of the transition from any quantum theory of gravity to classical general relativity.
17830761
Correlation entropy of an interacting quantum field and H theorem for the O(N) model
Following the paradigm of Boltzmann-BBGKY we propose a correlation entropy (of the nth order) for an interacting quantum field, obtained by `slaving' (truncation with causal factorization) of the higher (n+1 th) order correlation functions in the Schwinger-Dyson system of equations. This renders an otherwise closed system effectively open where dissipation arises. The concept of correlation entropy is useful for addressing issues related to thermalization. As a small yet important step in that direction we prove an H-theorem for the correlation entropy of a quantum mechanical O(N) model with a Closed Time Path Two Particle Irreducible Effective Action at the level of Next-to-Leading-Order large N approximation. This model may be regarded as a field theory in $0$ space dimensions.
118267306
Cosmology as `Condensed Matter' Physics
We note that in general there exist two basic aspects in any branch of physics, including cosmology - one dealing with the attributes of basic constituents and forces of nature, the other dealing with how structures arise from them and how they evolve. Current research in quantum and superstring cosmology is directed mainly towards the first aspect, even though a viable theory of the underlying interactions is lacking. We call the attention to the development of the second aspect, i.e., on the organization and processing of the basic constituents of matter (in classical cosmology) and spacetime (in quantum cosmology). Many newly developed concepts and techniques in condensed matter physics stemming from the investigation of disordered, dynamical and complex systems can guide us in asking the right questions and formulating new solutions to existing and developing cosmological issues, thereby broadening our view of the universe both in its formative and present state.
22366791
Noise kernel in stochastic gravity and stress energy bitensor of quantum fields in curved spacetimes
The noise kernel is the vacuum expectation value of the (operator-valued) stress-energy bi-tensor which describes the fluctuations of a quantum field in curved spacetimes. It plays the role in stochastic semiclassical gravity based on the Einstein-Langevin equation similar to the expectation value of the stress-energy tensor in semiclassical gravity based on the semiclassical Einstein equation. According to the stochastic gravity program, this two point function (and by extension the higher order correlations in a hierarchy) of the stress energy tensor possesses precious statistical mechanical information of quantum fields in curved spacetime and, by the self-consistency required of Einstein's equation, provides a probe into the coherence properties of the gravity sector (as measured by the higher order correlation functions of gravitons) and the quantum nature of spacetime. It reflects the low and medium energy (referring to Planck energy as high energy) behavior of any viable theory of quantum gravity, including string theory. It is also useful for calculating quantum fluctuations of fields in modern theories of structure formation and for backreaction problems in cosmological and black holes spacetimes. 
We discuss the properties of this bi-tensor with the method of point-separation, and derive a regularized expression of the noise-kernel for a scalar field in general curved spacetimes. One collorary of our finding is that for a massless conformal field the trace of the noise kernel identically vanishes. We outline how the general framework and results derived here can be used for the calculation of noise kernels for Robertson-Walker and Schwarzschild spacetimes.
120519307
Introduction to real-space renormalization-group methods in critical and chaotic phenomena
Abstract The methods of the real-space renormalization group, and their application to critical and chaotic phenomena are reviewed. The article consists of two parts: the first part deals with phase transitions and critical phenomena; the second part, bifurcations and transitions to chaos. We begin with an introduction to the phenomenology of phase transitions and critical phenomena. Seminal concepts such as scaling and universality, and their characterization by critical exponents are discussed. The basic ideas of the renormalization group are then explained. A survey of real-space renormalization-group methods: decimation, Migdal-Kadanoff approximation, cumulant and cluster expansions, is given. The Hamiltonian formulation of classical statistical systems into quantum mechanical systems by the method of the transfer matrix is introduced. Quantum renormalization-group methods of truncation and projection, and their application to the transcribed quantum mechanical Ising model in a transverse field are illustrated. Finally, the quantum cumulant-expansion method as applied to the one-dimensional quantum mechanical XY model is discussed. The second part of the article is devoted to the subject of bifurcations and transitions to chaos. The three most commonly discussed kinds of bifurcations: the pitchfork, tangent and Hopf bifurcations, and the associated routes to chaos: period doubling, intermittency and quasiperiodicity are discussed. Period doubling based on the logistic map is explained in detail. Universality and its expression in terms of functional renormalization-group equations is discussed. The Liapunov characteristic exponent and its analogy to the order parameter are introduced. The effect of external noise and its universal scaling feature are shown. The simplest characterizations of the Henon strange attractor are intuitively illustrated. The purpose of this article is primarily pedagogical. The similarity between critical and chaotic phenomena is a recurrent theme that underlines the importance and usefulness of such concepts as scaling, renormalization and universality.
118314066
MAPPING HAWKING TEMPERATURE IN THE SPINNING CONSTANT CURVATURE BLACK HOLE SPACES INTO UNRUH TEMPERATURE
We established the equivalence between the local Hawking temperature measured by the time-like Killing observer located at some positions r with finite distances from the outer horizon r+ in the five-dimensional spinning black hole space with both negative and positive constant curvature, and the Unruh temperature measured by the Rindler observer with constant acceleration in the six-dimensional flat space by employing the globally embedding approach.
118584779
Reconstruction of the primordial power spectra with Planck and BICEP2 data
By using the cubic spline interpolation method, we reconstruct the shape of the primordial scalar and tensor power spectra from the recently released Planck temperature and BICEP2 polarization cosmic microwave background data. We find that the vanishing scalar index running (dn(s)= d ln k) model is strongly disfavored at more than 3 sigma confidence level on the k = 0.0002 Mpc(-1) scale. Furthermore, the power-law parametrization gives a blue-tilt tensor spectrum, no matter using only the first five bandpowers n(t) = 1.20(-0.64)(+0.56) (95% C.L.) or the full nine bandpowers nt 1.24(-0.58)(+0.51) (95% C.L.) of BICEP2 data sets. Unlike the large tensor-to-scalar ratio value (r similar to 0.20) under the scale-invariant tensor spectrum assumption, our interpolation approach gives r(0.002) < 0.060 (95% C.L.) by using the first five bandpowers of BICEP2 data. After comparing the results with/without BICEP2 data, we find that Planck temperature with small tensor amplitude signals and BICEP2 polarization data with large tensor amplitude signals dominate the tensor spectrum reconstruction on the large and small scales, respectively. Hence, the resulting blue tensor tilt actually reflects the tension between Planck and BICEP2 data.
119229309
Non-Gaussian features from the inverse volume corrections in loop quantum cosmology
In this paper we study the non-Gaussian features of the primordial fluctuations in loop quantum cosmology with the inverse volume corrections. The detailed analysis is performed in the single field slow-roll inflationary models. However, our results reflect the universal characteristics of bispectrum in loop quantum cosmology. The main corrections to the scalar bispectrum come from two aspects: one is the modifications to the standard Bunch-Davies vacuum, and the other is the corrections to the background dependent variables, such as slow-roll parameters. Our calculations show that the loop quantum corrections make f(NL) of the inflationary models increase 0.1%. Moreover, we find that two new shapes of non-Gaussian signal arise, which we name F-1 and F-2. The former gives a unique loop quantum feature, which is less correlated with the local, equilateral, and single types, while the latter is highly correlated with the local one.
120701054
Renormalization group study of the one dimensional quantum mechanical XY model
The one dimensional quantum mechanical XY model is studied by the renormalization group method. To second order in the cumulant expansion, no non-trivial fixed points are found. The calculated free energy is in excellent agreement with that of the exact solution.