Stress Tensor Fluctuations Research Articles

Frequency spectra analysis of space- and time-averaged quantum stress tensor fluctuations

Observing physical effects of large quantum stress tensor fluctuations requires knowledge of the interactions between the probe and the particles of the underlying quantum fields. The quantum stress tensor operators must first be averaged in time alone or space and time to confer meaningful results, the details of which may correspond to the physical measurement process. We build on prior results to characterize the particle frequencies associated with quantum fluctuations of different magnitudes. For the square of time derivatives of the massless scalar field in a spherical cavity, we find that these frequencies are bounded above in a power law behavior. Our findings provide a way to identify the largest quantum fluctuation that may be probed in experiments relying on frequency-dependent interactions.

Correspondences of matter field fluctuations in semiclassical and classical gravity in the decoherence limit

Abstract A correspondence between fluctuations of non-minimally coupled scalar fields and that of an effective fluid with heat flux and anisotropic stresses, is shown. Though the correspondence between respective stress tensors of scalar fields and fluids is known and widely used in literature, the fluctuations in the two cases still await a formal correspondence and are open to investigation in all details. Using results obtained in the newly established theory of semiclassical stochastic gravity which focuses on the fluctuations of the quantum stress tensor, we show new relations in this regard. This development, apart from its relevance to the field-fluid correspondence, is expected to give insight to the mesoscopic phenomena for gravitating systems, and enable backreaction studies of the fluctuations on the perturbations of astrophysical objects. Such a development is aimed to enhance the perturbative analysis for cosmological spacetimes and astrophysical objects specifically in the decoherence limit. A kinetic theory, which can be based on stochastic fluctuations vs particle picture in curved spacetime may find useful insights from such correspondences in future work.

Space and time averaged quantum stress tensor fluctuations

We extend previous work on the numerical diagonalization of quantum stress tensor operators in the Minkowski vacuum state, which considered operators averaged in a finite time interval, to operators averaged in a finite spacetime region. Since real experiments occur over finite volumes and durations, physically meaningful fluctuations may be obtained from stress tensor operators averaged by compactly supported sampling functions in space and time. The direct diagonalization, via a Bogoliubov transformation, gives the eigenvalues and the probabilities of measuring those eigenvalues in the vacuum state, from which the underlying probability distribution can be constructed. For the normal-ordered square of the time derivative of a massless scalar field in a spherical cavity with finite degrees of freedom, analysis of the tails of these distributions confirms previous results based on the analytical treatment of the high moments. We find that the probability of large vacuum fluctuations is reduced when spatial averaging is included, but the tail still decreases more slowly than exponentially as the magnitude of the measured eigenvalues increases, suggesting vacuum fluctuations may not always be subdominant to thermal fluctuations and opening up the possibility of experimental observation under the right conditions.

Viscoelasticity of a Stretched Semiflexible Polymer Chain with Fixed Ends

Regularities of the decay of time correlation functions of fluctuations of the microscopic stress tensor characterizing viscoelastic properties for statically stretched chains composed of elastic units with bending stiffness are studied by molecular dynamics and analytically. Chains with the persistent length smaller than the contour length at degrees of extension up to break are considered. In the region of high extensions, where distortions of the local structure of a chain appear, the decay of correlation functions can be described by the modified Rouse model consisting of subchains with anisotropic rigidities depending on the equilibrium chain extension. This makes it possible to determine the relaxation times and moduli of strongly stretched chains, which is necessary in studying the strength of polymer networks. For correlation functions, the analytical relation is formulated that takes into account the contribution of transverse bending fluctuations and agrees with the results of computer simulation at low extensions. A change in the correlation functions with the extension of long semiflexible chains is qualitatively similar to that for flexible chains, but quantitatively is appreciably different.

Correspondences of matter fluctuations in semiclassical and classical gravity for cosmological spacetime

A correspondence between fluctuations of conformally invariant quantum fields and that of classical fields finally reducing to perfect fluid matter content is shown to exist. Previously a similar correspondence between the stress tensors was known and well established in the 70's. Using recent results obtained in semiclassical stochastic gravity regarding exact definition and significance given to quantum fluctuations of the stress tensor, we obtain this correspondence, which is fundamental to statistical analysis of systems in curved spacetime. This is of immense importance, in that the fluctuations of stress tensor play a similar central role in stochastic gravity, as that of the stress tensor in classical and semiclassical gravity. A relation between the semiclassical and classical fluctuations therefore, gives insight to the mesoscopic phenomena for gravitating systems and would further enhance the perturbative analysis for cosmological spacetime and astrophysical objects, which is an expansive area of research. Interestingly we see that the quantum fluctuations have a correspondence with covaiances of pressure and density of the gravitating system in the stochastic analysis.

Vacuum quantum stress tensor fluctuations: A diagonalization approach

Large vacuum fluctuations of a quantum stress tensor operator can be described by the asymptotic behavior of the probability distribution of the time or spacetime averaged operator. Here we focus on the case of stress tensor operators averaged with a sampling function in time. The Minkowski vacuum state is not an eigenstate of the time-averaged operator, but can be expanded in terms of its eigenstates. We calculate the probability distribution and the cumulative probability distribution for obtaining a given value in a measurement of the time-averaged operator taken in the vacuum state. In these calculations, we use the normal ordered square of the time derivative of a massless scalar field in Minkowski spacetime as an example of a stress tensor operator. We analyze the rate of decrease of the tail of the probability distribution for different temporal sampling functions, such as compactly supported functions and the Lorentzian function. We find that the tails decrease relatively slowly, as exponentials of fractional powers, in agreement with previous work using the moments of the distribution. Our results lead additional support to the conclusion that large vacuum stress tensor fluctuations are more probable than large thermal fluctuations, and may have observable effects.

Vacuum radiation pressure fluctuations and barrier penetration

We apply recent results on the probability distribution for quantum stress tensor fluctuations to the problem of barrier penetration by quantum particles. The probability for large stress tensor fluctuations decreases relatively slowly with increasing magnitude of the fluctuation, especially when the quantum stress tensor operator has been averaged over a finite time interval. This can lead to large vacuum radiation pressure fluctuations on charged or polarizable particles, which can in turn push the particle over a potential barrier. The rate for this effect depends sensitively upon the details of the time averaging of the stress tensor operator, which might be determined by factors such as the shape of the potential. We make some estimates for the rate of barrier penetration by this mechanism and argue that in some cases this rate can exceed the rate for quantum tunneling through the barrier. The possibility of observation of this effect is discussed.

Quantum stress tensor fluctuations and primordial gravity waves

We examine the effect of the stress tensor of a quantum matter field, such as the electromagnetic field, on the spectrum of primordial gravity waves expected in inflationary cosmology. We find that the net effect is a small reduction in the power spectrum, especially at higher frequencies, but which has a different form from that described by the usual spectral index. Thus this effect has a characteristic signature, and is in principle observable. The net effect is a sum of two contributions, one of which is due to quantum fluctuations of the matter field stress tensor. The other is a quantum correction to the graviton field due to coupling to the expectation value of this stress tensor. Both contributions are sensitive to initial conditions in the very early universe, so this effect has the potential to act as a probe of these initial conditions.

Computing bulk and shear viscosities from simulations of fluids with dissipative and stochastic interactions.

Exact values for bulk and shear viscosity are important to characterize a fluid, and they are a necessary input for a continuum description. Here we present two novel methods to compute bulk viscosities by non-equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations of steady-state systems with periodic boundary conditions - one based on frequent particle displacements and one based on the application of external bulk forces with an inhomogeneous force profile. In equilibrium simulations, viscosities can be determined from the stress tensor fluctuations via Green-Kubo relations; however, the correct incorporation of random and dissipative forces is not obvious. We discuss different expressions proposed in the literature and test them at the example of a dissipative particle dynamics fluid.

Noise kernel for the Reissner-Nordström metric: Results at the Cauchy horizon

We obtain a point-separated noise kernel for the Reissner-Nordstr\"om metric. The noise kernel defines the fluctuations of the quantum stress tensor and is of central importance to semiclassical stochastic gravity. The metric is modeled as gravitationally collapsing spacetime, by using suitable coordinate transformations, defined earlier. The fluctuations of the quantum stress tensor, at the final stage of collapse, are then analyzed for both the naked singularity and black hole end states. The behavior of this noise kernel, at the Cauchy horizon (CH) for naked singularity, shows markedly different behavior from the self-similar Tolman-Bondi metric, which was obtained earlier. In the latter a very unique divergence was seen, which does not appear for the Reissner-Nordstr\"om metric here. It is known that the quantum stress tensor itself diverges at the CH for both of these metrics. In contrast, it can now be seen that the fluctuations of the stress tensor behave differently for the two cases. We give a discussion and further directions for investigations of this interesting behavior in the two cases (regarding the collapse scenario).

Model for lightcone fluctuations due to stress tensor fluctuations

We study a model for quantum lightcone fluctuations in which vacuum fluctuations of the electric field and of the squared electric field in a nonlinear dielectric material produce variations in the flight times of probe pulses. When this material has a non-zero third order polarizability, the flight time variations arise from squared electric field fluctuations, and are analogous to effects expected when the stress tensor of a quantized field drives passive spacetime geometry fluctuations. We also discuss the dependence of the squared electric field fluctuations upon the geometry of the material, which in turn determines a sampling function for averaging the squared electric field along the path of the pulse. This allows us to estimate the probability of especially large fluctuations, which is a measure of the probability distribution for quantum stress tensor fluctuations.

Towards holographic spintronics

We study transport phenomena of total angular momentum in holography, as a first step toward holographic understanding of spin transport phenomena. Spin current, which has both the local Lorentz index for spins and the space-time vector index for current, couples naturally to the bulk spin connection. Therefore, the bulk spin connection becomes the source for the boundary spin current. This allows us to evaluate the spin current holographically, with a relation to the stress tensor and metric fluctuations in the bulk. We examine the spin transport coefficients and the thermal spin Hall conductivity in a simple holographic setup.

Predictions of Volume Relaxation in Glass Forming Materials Using a Stochastic Constitutive Model

In a previous publication (Macromolecules 2012, 45, 7237), a stochastic model of the glassy state that acknowledges dynamic heterogeneity was shown to describe the classic Kovacs poly(vinyl acetate) volume relaxation data set with the exception of the expansion gap and the pressure dependence of the glass transition temperature. This initial model included two assumptions–the relaxation time of the meso-domain was controlled by the specific volume and the fluctuations were isotropic. Recently, a fully tensorial stochastic constitutive model (SCM) was developed where (i) the relaxation time was a function of both the configurational entropy and the stress tensor and (ii) nonisotropic fluctuations were allowed. In the present work, the SCM is shown to predict the Kovacs data, including the expansion gap as well as the pressure dependence of the glass transition temperature.

Noncancellation of quantum geometry fluctuations

Quantum vacuum fluctuations tend to be strongly anti-correlated, which reduces their observable effects. However, time dependence can upset the cancellation of these anti-correlated fluctuations and greatly enhance their effects. This form of non-cancellation is investigated for spacetime geometry fluctuations driven by the vacuum stress tensor fluctuations of the electromagnetic field. The time dependence can take the form of sinusoidal conformal metric perturbations or of time variation of the gravitational constant, both of which can arise from modifications of the gravitational action. We examine two observable quantities, luminosity fluctuations and redshift fluctuations, both of which can arise from stress tensor fluctuations. We find that both quantities can grow with increasing distance between a source and an observer. This secular growth raises the possibility of observing spacetime geometry fluctuation effects at length scales far longer than the Planck scale.

Quantum stress tensor fluctuation effects in inflationary cosmology

We review several related investigations of the effects of the quantum stress tensor of a conformal field in inflationary cosmology. Particular attention will be paid to the effects of quantum stress tensor fluctuations as a source of density and tensor perturbations in inflationary models. These effects can possibly depend upon the total expansion factor during inflation, and hence be much larger than one might otherwise expect. They have the potential to contribute a non-scale invariant and non-Gaussian component to the primordial spectrum of perturbations, and might be observable.

Gravity waves from quantum stress tensor fluctuations in inflation

We consider the effects of the quantum stress tensor fluctuations of a conformal field in generating gravity waves in inflationary models. We find a non-scale invariant, non-Gaussian contribution which depends upon the total expansion factor between an initial time and the end of inflation. This spectrum of gravity wave perturbations is an illustration of a negative power spectrum, which is possible in quantum field theory. We discuss possible choices for the initial conditions. If the initial time is taken to be sufficiently early, the fluctuating gravity waves are potentially observable both in the CMB radiation and in gravity wave detectors, and could offer a probe of transplanckian physics. The fact that they have not yet been observed might be used to constrain the duration and energy scale of inflation.

Viscoelasticity of a stretched polymer chain with ends exposed to a constant force

The viscoelasticity of a stretched polymer chain with its end particles exposed to oppositely acting forces is studied via collisional molecular dynamics and analytically. A simple model according to which a polymer molecule is a chain of particles linked through freely jointed elastic bonds is adopted. The analytical theory is in good agreement with the results of the computer simulation of time correlation functions in the range of large-scale motions of a polymer molecule. It is found that the decay of correlation functions K αβμν of fluctuations of the microscopic stress tensor of a chain, K zzzz, K zαzα , = K zαzα , (α = x, y; z is the axis along which the forces act), is slowed down, and their value increases relative to the respective correlation functions of a chain with fixed ends. The greater the force, the higher this difference. The correlation functions that are transverse with respect to the z axis do not differ from those for chains with fixed ends. The results show that, in the calculation of time correlation functions of strongly stretched polymer chains, different statistical ensembles are not equivalent; this must be taken into account in the dynamic theories of heavily deformed polymers.

Quantum stress tensor fluctuations of a conformal field and inflationary cosmology

We discuss the additional perturbation introduced during inflation by quantum stress tensor fluctuations of a conformally invariant field such as the photon. We consider both a kinematical model, which deals only with the expansion fluctuations of geodesics, and a dynamical model which treats the coupling of the stress tensor fluctuations to a scalar inflaton. In neither model do we find any growth at late times, in accordance with a theorem due to Weinberg. What we find instead is a correction which becomes larger the earlier one starts inflation. This correction is non-Gaussian and highly scale dependent, so the absence of such effects from the observed power spectra may imply a constraint on the total duration of inflation. We discuss different views about the validity of perturbation theory at very early times during which currently observable modes are transplanckian.

Viscoelasticity of stretched polymer chains: Analytical theory and computer-aided simulation

The viscoelasticity of stretched polymer chains has been studied by the method of collisional dynamics. To this end, time correlation functions of the fluctuations of the microscopic stress tensor are modeled and relaxation moduli are expressed. Before, for stretched polymer networks, correlation functions used to be calculated in terms of an approximate theory that allowed one to estimate the strain dependences of loss modulus. The calculated dependences are shown to agree qualitatively with the results of measurements performed over a wide interval of strains, including prefracture strains. This theory is verified by comparing the time correlation functions of stress tensor fluctuations for a single stretched chain; these functions are found by computer-aided simulation and calculated on the basis of the existing analytical theory. In this case, a simple theory is adopted according to which a polymer molecule represents a chain composed of N atoms connected by freely jointed elastic bonds. The first and Nth atoms of this chain are attached by harmonic springs to immobile points located at a fixed distance. The decay of time correlation functions under study can be resolved into three stages. After a short initial interval provided by local motions, one can observe a region of power-law decay, which is followed by monoexponential decay at long times. The results of computer-aided simulation generally agree with the predictions of analytical theory. Certain discrepancies primarily concern the dependences of the exponent of power-law relaxation on the degree of chain stretching.

Metric fluctuations of an evaporating black hole from backreaction of stress tensor fluctuations

This paper delineates the first steps in a systematic quantitative study of the spacetime fluctuations induced by quantum fields in an evaporating black hole under the stochastic gravity program. The central object of interest is the noise kernel, which is the symmetrized two-point quantum correlation function of the stress tensor operator. As a concrete example we apply it to the study of the spherically symmetric sector of metric perturbations around an evaporating black hole background geometry. For macroscopic black holes we find that those fluctuations grow and eventually become important when considering sufficiently long periods of time (of the order of the evaporation time), but well before the Planckian regime is reached. In addition, the assumption of a simple correlation between the fluctuations of the energy flux crossing the horizon and far from it, which was made in earlier work on spherically symmetric induced fluctuations, is carefully scrutinized and found to be invalid. Our analysis suggests the existence of an infinite amplitude for the fluctuations when trying to localize the horizon as a three-dimensional hypersurface, as in the classical case, and, as a consequence, a more accurate picture of the horizon as possessing a finite effective width due to quantum more » fluctuations. This is supported by a systematic analysis of the noise kernel in curved spacetime smeared with different functions under different conditions; the details are collected in the appendixes. This case study shows a pathway for probing quantum metric fluctuations near the horizon and understanding their physical meaning. « less