Field In De Sitter Space Research Articles

Nonperturbative infrared enhancement of non-Gaussian correlators in de Sitter space

We compute the four-point correlation function of a light O(N) scalar field in de Sitter space in the large-N limit. For superhorizon momentum modes, infrared effects strongly enhance the size of loop contributions. We find that in the deep infrared limit, the latter are of the same order as the tree-level one. The tree-level momentum structure, characteristic of a contact term, gets renormalized by a factor of order unity. In addition loop contributions give rise to a new momentum structure, characteristic of an exchange diagram, corresponding to the exchange of an effective composite scalar degree of freedom.

Effect of the Generalized Uncertainty Principle on the Primordial Power Spectrum: Lattice Schrödinger Picture

In the lattice Schrodinger picture, we investigate the effect of the generalized uncertainty principle (GUP) on the power spectrum of primordial inflaton perturbations in inflationary cosmology. Among the nonlinear dispersion relations obtainable from the GUP, we study the particular case of a Corley-Jacobson type dispersion relation with positive quartic correction which arises from quantum gravitational fluctuations of the background metric. We consider the evolution of the massless minimally and massive non-minimally coupled scalar fields in de Sitter space. Through the matching conditions of wave functionals at some critical conformal time, we find that all the oscillatory and steady correction terms to the standard power spectrum for slow-roll inflation can be expressed in terms of the powers of one dimensionless critical quantity 1/z(subscript c), which is proportional to the ratio between the Hubble constant h during inflation and the cutoff energy scale M. The proportionality constant is the square root of the dimensionless parameter in the nonlinear dispersion relation. For some large values of this parameter, it becomes possible to detect the trans-Planckian effect in future CMB experiments.

A preferred ground state for the scalar field in de Sitter space

We investigate a recent proposal for a distinguished vacuum state of a free scalar quantum field in an arbitrarily curved spacetime, known as the Sorkin-Johnston (SJ) vacuum, by applying it to de Sitter space. We derive the associated two-point functions on both the global and Poincar\'e (cosmological) patches in general d+1 dimensions. In all cases where it is defined, the SJ vacuum belongs to the family of de Sitter invariant alpha-vacua. We obtain different states depending on the spacetime dimension, mass of the scalar field, and whether the state is evaluated on the global or Poincar\'e patch. We find that the SJ vacuum agrees with the Euclidean/Bunch-Davies state for heavy ("principal series") fields on the global patch in even spacetime dimensions. We also compute the SJ vacuum on a causal set corresponding to a causal diamond in 1+1 dimensional de Sitter space. Our simulations show that the mean of the SJ two-point function on the causal set agrees well with its expected continuum counterpart.

Soft graviton effects on gauge theories in de Sitter space

We extend our investigation of soft graviton effects on the microscopic dynamics of matter fields in de Sitter space. We evaluate the quantum equation of motion in generic gauge theories. We find that the Lorentz invariance can be respected and the velocity of light is not renormalized at the one-loop level. The gauge coupling constant is universally screened by soft gravitons and diminishes with time. These features are in common with other four dimensional field theories with dimensionless couplings. In particular the couplings scale with time with definite scaling exponents. Although individual scaling exponents are gauge dependent, we argue that the relative scaling exponents are gauge independent and should be observable. We also mention soft graviton effects on cosmic microwave background.

Comment on “Creation of spin1/2particles by an electric field in de Sitter space”

The main objective of this comment is to correct the density number of created fermions by an electric field in the () dimensional de Sitter space-time communicated by V. M. Villalba in []. This comment will show how the positive and negative energy solutions are connected to one another by the charge conjugation. Some concluding remarks are made.

Physical momentum representation of scalar field correlators in de Sitter space

We propose a new approach to compute correlators of quantum fields in de Sitter space. It is based on nonequilibrium field theory techniques, and exploits de Sitter symmetries so as to partially reduce the number of independent variables of $n$-point functions in a manner that preserves the usefulness of a momentum representation, e.g., for writing spatial convolution integrals as simple products. In this representation, the two-point function of a scalar field only depends on two physical momenta, and the corresponding Schwinger-Dyson evolution equations take the form of momentum flow equations. Moreover, standard diagrammatic rules can be entirely formulated in this representation. The method is suitable for analytical approximations as well as numerical implementations. In forthcoming publications, we apply it to resum infrared logarithmic terms appearing in the perturbative calculation of vertex and correlation functions.

Renormalization of the 2PI Hartree-Fock approximation on a de Sitter background in the broken phase

The infrared effects for light minimally coupled scalar fields with quartic self-interaction in de Sitter space is investigated using the 2PI effective action formalism. This formalism partially resums infinite series of loop diagrams, and enables us to circumvent the IR divergence problem for a massless minimally coupled scalar field in de Sitter space. It is anticipated that nonperturbative infrared effects generate a curvature-induced mass and self-regulate the IR divergence. However, due to its nonperturbative nature, the renormalization prescription is a nontrivial task. To calculate physical quantities, an appropriate renormalization prescription is required. In this paper, we will show that the MS-like scheme is possible at the Hartree-Fock truncation of the 2PI effective action, and infinite series of divergent terms are needed as counterterms. The phase structure and the quantum backreaction to Einstein's field equation are calculated.

Dispersive fields in de Sitter space and event horizon thermodynamics

When Lorentz invariance is violated at high energy, the laws of black hole thermodynamics are apparently no longer satisfied. To shed light on this observation, we study dispersive fields in de Sitter space. We show that the Bunch-Davies vacuum state restricted to the static patch is no longer thermal, and that the Tolman law is violated. However we also show that, for free fields at least, this vacuum is the only stationary stable state, as if it were in equilibrium. We then present a precise correspondence between dispersive effects found in de Sitter and in black hole metrics. This indicates that the consequences of dispersion on thermodynamical laws could also be similar.

Nonperturbative infrared effects for light scalar fields in de Sitter space

We study the ϕ4 scalar field theory in de Sitter space using the two-particle irreducible effective action formalism. This formalism enables us to investigate some nonperturbative quantum aspects of the theory. We use the mean field and gap equations to calculate the physical mass and the effective potential. We find that nonperturbative infrared effects in de Sitter space produce a curvature-induced mass and work to restore the broken Z2 symmetry.

Localizability in de Sitter space

An analogue of the Newton–Wigner position operator is defined for a massive neutral scalar field in de Sitter space. The one-particle subspace of the theory, consisting of positive-energy solutions of the Klein–Gordon equation selected by the Hadamard condition, is identified with an irreducible representation of the de Sitter group. Postulates of localizability analogous to those written by Wightman for fields in Minkowski space are formulated on it, and a unique solution is shown to exist. Representations in both the principal and the complementary series are considered. A simple expression for the time evolution of the Newton–Wigner operator is presented.

Bohm Quantum Trajectories of Scalar Field in Trans-Planckian Physics

In lattice Schrödinger picture, we investigate the possible effects of trans-Planckian physics on the quantum trajectories of scalar field in de Sitter space within the framework of the pilot-wave theory of de Broglie and Bohm. For the massless minimally coupled scalar field and the Corley-Jacobson type dispersion relation with sextic correction to the standard-squared linear relation, we obtain the time evolution of vacuum state of the scalar field during slow-roll inflation. We find that there exists a transition in the evolution of the quantum trajectory from well before horizon exit to well after horizon exit, which provides a possible mechanism to solve the riddle of the smallness of the cosmological constant.

Conformal use of retarded Green’s functions for the Maxwell field in de Sitter space

We propose a new propagation formula for the Maxwell field in de Sitter space which exploit the conformal invariance of this field together with a conformal gauge condition. This formula allows to determine the classical electromagnetic field in the de Sitter space from given currents and initial data. It only uses the Green's function of the massless Minkowskian scalar field. This leads to drastic simplifications in practical calculations. We apply this formula to the classical problem of the two charges of opposite signs at rest at the North and South Poles of the de Sitter space.

On the perturbative stability of quantum field theories in de Sitter space

We use a field theoretic generalization of the Wigner-Weisskopf method to study the stability of the Bunch-Davies vacuum state for a massless, conformally coupled interacting test field in de Sitter space. We find that in $\lambda \phi^4$ theory the vacuum does {\em not} decay, while in non-conformally invariant models, the vacuum decays as a consequence of a vacuum wave function renormalization that depends \emph{singularly} on (conformal) time and is proportional to the spatial volume. In a particular regularization scheme the vacuum wave function renormalization is the same as in Minkowski spacetime, but in terms of the \emph{physical volume}, which leads to an interpretation of the decay. A simple example of the impact of vacuum decay upon a non-gaussian correlation is discussed. Single particle excitations also decay into two particle states, leading to particle production that hastens the exiting of modes from the de Sitter horizon resulting in the production of \emph{entangled superhorizon pairs} with a population consistent with unitary evolution. We find a non-perturbative, self-consistent "screening" mechanism that shuts off vacuum decay asymptotically, leading to a stationary vacuum state in a manner not unlike the approach to a fixed point in the space of states.

Covariant quantization of the Maxwell field in de Sitter space from SO0(2,4)-invariance

We present a SO0(2,4)-invariant quantization of the free electromagnetic field in de Sitter space. Precisely, we quantize the Maxwell ("massless spin one") de Sitter field in a conformally invariant gauge. This result is obtained thanks to a canonical quantization scheme of the Gupta-Bleuler type and to a geometrical formalism in which the Minkowski, de Sitter and anti-de Sitter spaces are realized as intersections of the five dimensional null cone of ℝ6 and a moving hyperplane. We obtain a new and simple de Sitter invariant two-point function.

Proper treatment of massless fields in Euclidean de Sitter space

We analyze infrared divergences arising in calculations involving light and massless fields in de Sitter space. We show that these arise from an incorrect treatment of the constant mode of the field, and show that a correct quantization leads to a well-defined and calculable perturbation expansion. We illustrate this by computing the first nontrivial loop correction in a theory of a massless scalar field with a quartic interaction.

Breakdown of semiclassical methods in de Sitter space

Massless interacting scalar fields in de Sitter space have long been known to experience large fluctuations over length scales larger than Hubble distances. A similar situation arises in condensed matter physics in the vicinity of a critical point, and in this better-understood situation these large fluctuations indicate the failure in this regime of mean-field methods. We argue that for non-Goldstone scalars in de Sitter space, these fluctuations can also be interpreted as signaling the complete breakdown of the semi-classical methods widely used throughout cosmology. By power-counting the infrared properties of Feynman graphs in de Sitter space we find that for a massive scalar interacting through a λ ϕ4 interaction, control over the loop approximation is lost for masses smaller than m ≃ √λ H/2π, where H is the Hubble scale. We briefly discuss some potential implications for inflationary cosmology.

A discrete nonetheless remarkable brick in de Sitter: The “massless minimally coupled field”

Over the last ten years interest in the physics of de Sitter space—time has been growing very fast. Besides the supposed existence of a “de Sitterian period” in inflation theories, the observational evidence of an acceleration of the universe expansion (interpreted as a positive cosmological constant or a “dark energy” or some form of “quintessence”) has triggered a lot of attention in the physics community. A specific de Sitterian field called “massless minimally coupled field” (mmc) plays a fundamental role in inflation models and in the construction of the de Sitterian gravitational field. A covariant quantization of the mmc field, à la Krein—Gupta—Bleuler was proposed in Class. Quantum. Grav. 17, 1415 (2000). In this talk, we will review this construction and explain the relevance of such a field in the construction of a massless spin-2 field in de Sitter space—time.

PILOT-WAVE SCALAR FIELD THEORY IN DE SITTER SPACE: LATTICE SCHRÖDINGER PICTURE

In the lattice Schrödinger picture, we find the de Broglie–Bohm quantum trajectories for the eigenstates of a generically coupled free real scalar field in de Sitter space. For the massless minimally coupled scalar field which has exact quantum trajectory, we evaluate both the time evolution of vacuum state and the possible effects of initial quantum nonequilibrium on the power spectrum of the primordial inflaton and curvature fluctuations in the slow-roll approximation. We reproduce the results that were already presented by Valentini who considered only the massless minimal coupling case. In addition we cover both massive minimal and massive non-minimal coupling cases which are the extension of Valentini's work. Finally we discuss the difference between de Broglie's first-order dynamics and Bohm's second-order dynamics in finding the quantum trajectories.

Conformally covariant quantization of the Maxwell field in de Sitter space

In this article, we quantize the Maxwell ("massless spin one") de Sitter field in a conformally invariant gauge. This quantization is invariant under the SO$_0(2,4)$ group and consequently under the de Sitter group. We obtain a new de Sitter invariant two-points function which is very simple. Our method relies on the one hand on a geometrical point of view which uses the realization of Minkowski, de Sitter and anti-de Sitter spaces as intersections of the null cone in $\setR^6$ and a moving plane, and on the other hand on a canonical quantization scheme of the Gupta-Bleuler type.

INFLATION AND SQUEEZED STATES: LATTICE SCHRÖDINGER PICTURE

In lattice Schrödinger picture, the wave functionals of the squeezed vacuum states of a free real scalar field in de Sitter space are constructed explicitly in momentum space by using the method of instantaneous Hamiltonian diagonalization. The modified power spectrum and particle production in the general mixed, squeezed initial states are also presented. For the massless minimally coupled scalar field which is relevant to slow roll inflationary models, we recover the power spectrum of scalar fluctuations for the squeezed vacuum states, and show that the evolution of the squeezed vacuum states exhibits an attractor behavior. The case of a massless conformally coupled scalar field is also discussed.