arXiv subjects

Claudio Dappiaggi

Publications and source records attributed to Claudio Dappiaggi.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2018

Ground states of a Klein-Gordon field with Robin boundary conditions in global anti-de Sitter spacetime

We consider a real, massive scalar field both on the $n$-dimensional anti--de Sitter (AdS$_n$) spacetime and on its universal cover CAdS$_n$. In the second scenario, we extend the recent analysis on PAdS$_n$, the Poincaré patch of AdS$_n$, first determining all admissible boundary conditions of Robin type that can be applied on the conformal boundary. Most notably, contrary to what happens on PAdS$_n$, no bound state mode solution occurs. Subsequently, we address the problem of constructing the two-point function for the ground state satisfying the admissible boundary conditions. All these states are locally of Hadamard form being obtained via a mode expansion which encompasses only the positive frequencies associated to the global timelike Killing field on CAdS$_n$. To conclude we investigate under which conditions any of the two-point correlation functions constructed on the universal cover defines a counterpart on AdS$_n$, still of Hadamard form. Since this spacetime is periodic in time, it turns out that this is possible only for Dirichlet boundary conditions, though for a countable set of masses of the underlying field, or for Neumann boundary conditions, though only for even dimensions and for one given value of the mass.

hep-th↗

arXiv2018

Algebraic quantum field theory on spacetimes with timelike boundary

We analyze quantum field theories on spacetimes $M$ with timelike boundary from a model-independent perspective. We construct an adjunction which describes a universal extension to the whole spacetime $M$ of theories defined only on the interior $\mathrm{int}M$. The unit of this adjunction is a natural isomorphism, which implies that our universal extension satisfies Kay's F-locality property. Our main result is the following characterization theorem: Every quantum field theory on $M$ that is additive from the interior (i.e.\ generated by observables localized in the interior) admits a presentation by a quantum field theory on the interior $\mathrm{int}M$ and an ideal of its universal extension that is trivial on the interior. We shall illustrate our constructions by applying them to the free Klein-Gordon field.

math-ph↗

arXiv2018

Mode solutions for a Klein-Gordon field in anti-de Sitter spacetime with dynamical boundary conditions of Wentzell type

We study a real, massive Klein-Gordon field in the Poincaré fundamental domain of the $(d+1)$-dimensional anti-de Sitter (AdS) spacetime, subject to a particular choice of dynamical boundary conditions of generalized Wentzell type, whereby the boundary data solves a non-homogeneous, boundary Klein-Gordon equation, with the source term fixed by the normal derivative of the scalar field at the boundary. This naturally defines a field in the conformal boundary of the Poincaré fundamental domain of AdS. We completely solve the equations for the bulk and boundary fields and investigate the existence of bound state solutions, motivated by the analogous problem with Robin boundary conditions, which are recovered as a limiting case. Finally, we argue that both Robin and generalized Wentzell boundary conditions are distinguished in the sense that they are invariant under the action of the isometry group of the AdS conformal boundary, a condition which ensures in addition that the total flux of energy across the boundary vanishes.

hep-th↗

arXiv2018

IDEAL characterization of isometry classes of FLRW and inflationary spacetimes

In general relativity, an IDEAL (Intrinsic, Deductive, Explicit, ALgorithmic) characterization of a reference spacetime metric $g_0$ consists of a set of tensorial equations $T[g]=0$, constructed covariantly out of the metric $g$, its Riemann curvature and their derivatives, that are satisfied if and only if $g$ is locally isometric to the reference spacetime metric $g_0$. The same notion can be extended to also include scalar or tensor fields, where the equations $T[g,ϕ]=0$ are allowed to also depend on the extra fields $ϕ$. We give the first IDEAL characterization of cosmological FLRW spacetimes, with and without a dynamical scalar (inflaton) field. We restrict our attention to what we call regular geometries, which uniformly satisfy certain identities or inequalities. They roughly split into the following natural special cases: constant curvature spacetime, Einstein static universe, and flat or curved spatial slices. We also briefly comment on how the solution of this problem has implications, in general relativity and inflation theory, for the construction of local gauge invariant observables for linear cosmological perturbations and for stability analysis.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2017

Superradiance in the BTZ black hole with Robin boundary conditions

We show the existence of superradiant modes of massive scalar fields propagating in BTZ black holes when certain Robin boundary conditions, which never include the commonly considered Dirichlet boundary conditions, are imposed at spatial infinity. These superradiant modes are defined as those solutions whose energy flux across the horizon is towards the exterior region. Differently from rotating, asymptotically flat black holes, we obtain that not all modes which grow up exponentially in time are superradiant; for some of these, the growth is sourced by a bulk instability of AdS3, triggered by the scalar field with Robin boundary conditions, rather than by energy extraction from the BTZ black hole. Thus, this setup provides an example wherein Bosonic modes with low frequency are pumping energy into, rather than extracting energy from, a rotating black hole.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2017

Ground state for a massive scalar field in BTZ spacetime with Robin boundary conditions

We consider a real, massive scalar field in BTZ spacetime, a 2+1-dimensional black hole solution of the Einstein's field equations with a negative cosmological constant. First, we analyze the space of classical solutions in a mode decomposition and we characterize the collection of all admissible boundary conditions of Robin type which can be imposed at infinity. Secondly, we investigate whether, for a given boundary condition, there exists a ground state by constructing explicitly its two-point function. We demonstrate that for a subclass of the boundary conditions it is possible to construct a ground state that locally satisfies the Hadamard property. In all other cases, we show that bound state mode solutions exist and, therefore, such construction is not possible.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2017

Hadamard States From Light-like Hypersurfaces

This book provides a rather self-contained survey of the construction of Hadamard states for scalar field theories in a large class of notable spacetimes, possessing a (conformal) light-like boundary. The first two sections focus on explaining a few introductory aspects of this topic and on providing the relevant geometric background material. The notions of asymptotically flat spacetimes and of expanding universes with a cosmological horizon are analysed in detail, devoting special attention to the characterization of asymptotic symmetries. In the central part of the book, the quantization of a real scalar field theory on such class of backgrounds is discussed within the framework of algebraic quantum field theory. Subsequently it is explained how it is possible to encode the information of the observables of the theory in a second, ancillary counterpart, which is built directly on the conformal (null) boundary. This procedure, dubbed bulk-to-boundary correspondence, has the net advantage of allowing the identification of a distinguished state for the theory on the boundary, which admits a counterpart in the bulk spacetime which is automatically of Hadamard form. In the last part of the book, some applications of these states are discussed, in particular the construction of the algebra of Wick polynomials. This book is aimed mainly, but not exclusively, at a readership with interest in the mathematical formulation of quantum field theory on curved backgrounds.

math-ph↗

arXiv2017

On the algebraic quantization of a massive scalar field in anti-de-Sitter spacetime

We discuss the algebraic quantization of a real, massive scalar field in the Poincaré patch of the (d+1)-dimensional anti-de Sitter spacetime, with arbitrary boundary conditions. By using the functional formalism, we show that it is always possible to associate to such system an algebra of observables enjoying the standard properties of causality, time-slice axiom and F-locality. In addition, we characterize the wavefront set of the ground state associated to the system under investigation. As a consequence, we are able to generalize the definition of Hadamard states and construct a global algebra of Wick polynomials.

math-ph↗

arXiv2017

Wavefront sets and polarizations on supermanifolds

In this paper we develop the foundations for microlocal analysis on supermanifolds. Making use of pseudodifferential operators on supermanifolds as introduced by Rempel and Schmitt, we define a suitable notion of super wavefront set for superdistributions which generalizes Dencker's polarization sets for vector-valued distributions to supergeometry. In particular, our super wavefront sets detect polarization information of the singularities of superdistributions. We prove a refined pullback theorem for superdistributions along supermanifold morphisms, which as a special case establishes criteria when two superdistributions may be multiplied. As an application of our framework, we study the singularities of distributional solutions of a supersymmetric field theory.

math-ph↗

arXiv2017

Non-existence of natural states for Abelian Chern-Simons theory

We give an elementary proof that Abelian Chern-Simons theory, described as a functor from oriented surfaces to C*-algebras, does not admit a natural state. Non-existence of natural states is thus not only a phenomenon of quantum field theories on Lorentzian manifolds, but also of topological quantum field theories formulated in the algebraic approach.

math-ph↗

arXiv2016

Hadamard states for a scalar field in anti-de Sitter spacetime with arbitrary boundary conditions

We consider a real, massive scalar field on ${\rm PAdS}_{d+1}$, the Poincaré domain of the $(d+1)$-dimensional anti-de Sitter (AdS) spacetime. We first determine all admissible boundary conditions that can be applied on the conformal boundary, noting that there exist instances where "bound states" solutions are present. Then, we address the problem of constructing the two-point function for the ground state satisfying those boundary conditions, finding ultimately an explicit closed form. In addition, we investigate the singularities of the resulting two-point functions, showing that they are consistent with the requirement of being of Hadamard form in every globally hyperbolic subregion of ${\rm PAdS}_{d+1}$ and proposing a new definition of Hadamard states which applies to ${\rm PAdS}_{d+1}$.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2016

Hadamard states for quantum Abelian duality

Abelian duality is realized naturally by combining differential cohomology and locally covariant quantum field theory. This leads to a C$^*$-algebra of observables, which encompasses the simultaneous discretization of both magnetic and electric fluxes. We discuss the assignment of physically well-behaved states to such algebra and the properties of the associated GNS triple. We show that the algebra of observables factorizes as a suitable tensor product of three C$^*$-algebras: the first factor encodes dynamical information, while the other two capture topological data corresponding to electric and magnetic fluxes. On the former factor we exhibit a state whose two-point correlation function has the same singular structure of a Hadamard state. Specifying suitable counterparts also on the topological factors we obtain a state for the full theory, providing ultimately a unitary implementation of Abelian duality.

math-ph↗

arXiv2016

Constructing Hadamard states via an extended Møller operator

We consider real scalar field theories whose dynamics is ruled by normally hyperbolic operators differing only by a smooth potential $V$. By means of an extension of the standard definition of Møller operator, we construct an isomorphism between the associated spaces of smooth solutions and between the associated algebras of observables. On the one hand such isomorphism is non-canonical since it depends on the choice of a smooth time-dependant cut-off function. On the other hand, given any quasi-free Hadamard state for a theory with a given $V$, such isomorphism allows for the construction of another quasi-free Hadamard state for a different potential. The resulting state preserves also the invariance under the action of any isometry, whose associated Killing field commutes with the vector field built out of the normal vectors to a family of Cauchy surfaces, foliating the underlying manifold. Eventually we discuss a sufficient condition to remove on static spacetimes the dependence on the cut-off via a suitable adiabatic limit.

math-ph↗

arXiv2015

The Casimir effect from the point of view of algebraic quantum field theory

We consider a region of Minkowski spacetime bounded either by one or by two parallel, infinitely extended plates orthogonal to a spatial direction and a real Klein-Gordon field satisfying Dirichlet boundary conditions. We quantize these two systems within the algebraic approach to quantum field theory using the so-called functional formalism. As a first step we construct a suitable unital *-algebra of observables whose generating functionals are characterized by a labelling space which is at the same time optimal and separating and fulfils the F-locality property. Subsequently we give a definition for these systems of Hadamard states and we investigate explicit examples. In the case of a single plate, it turns out that one can build algebraic states via a pull-back of those on the whole Minkowski spacetime, moreover inheriting from them the Hadamard property. When we consider instead two plates, algebraic states can be put in correspondence with those on flat spacetime via the so-called method of images, which we translate to the algebraic setting. For a massless scalar field we show that this procedure works perfectly for a large class of quasi-free states including the Poincaré vacuum and KMS states. Eventually Wick polynomials are introduced. Contrary to the Minkowski case, the extended algebras, built in globally hyperbolic subregions can be collected in a global counterpart only after a suitable deformation which is expressed locally in terms of a *-isomorphism. As a last step, we construct explicitly the two-point function and the regularized energy density, showing, moreover, that the outcome is consistent with the standard results of the Casimir effect.

math-ph↗

arXiv2015

Models of free quantum field theories on curved backgrounds

Free quantum field theories on curved backgrounds are discussed via three explicit examples: the real scalar field, the Dirac field and the Proca field. The first step consists of outlining the main properties of globally hyperbolic spacetimes, that is the class of manifolds on which the classical dynamics of all physically relevant free fields can be written in terms of a Cauchy problem. The set of all smooth solutions of the latter encompasses the dynamically allowed configurations which are used to identify via a suitable pairing a collection of classical observables. As a last step we use such collection to construct a $*$-algebra which encodes the information on the dynamics and on the canonical commutation or anti-commutation relations depending whether the underlying field is a Fermion or a Boson.

math-ph↗

arXiv2015

Hadamard states from null infinity

Free field theories on a four dimensional, globally hyperbolic spacetime, whose dynamics is ruled by a Green hyperbolic partial differential operator, can be quantized following the algebraic approach. It consists of a two-step procedure: In the first part one identifies the observables of the underlying physical system collecting them in a *-algebra which encodes their relational and structural properties. In the second step one must identify a quantum state, that is a positive, normalized linear functional on the *-algebra out of which one recovers the interpretation proper of quantum mechanical theories via the so-called Gelfand-Naimark-Segal theorem. In between the plethora of possible states, only few of them are considered physically acceptable and they are all characterized by the so-called Hadamard condition, a constraint on the singular structure of the associated two-point function. Goal of this paper is to outline a construction scheme for these states which can be applied whenever the underlying background possesses a null (conformal) boundary. We discuss in particular the examples of a real, massless conformally coupled scalar field and of linearized gravity on a globally hyperbolic and asymptotically flat spacetime.

math-ph↗

arXiv2014

Curvature fluctuations on asymptotically de Sitter spacetimes via the semiclassical Einstein's equations

It has been proposed recently to consider in the framework of cosmology an extension of the semiclassical Einstein's equations in which the Einstein tensor is considered as a random function. This paradigm yields a hierarchy of equations between the $n$-point functions of the quantum, normal ordered, stress energy-tensor and those associated to the stochastic Einstein tensor. Assuming that the matter content is a conformally coupled massive scalar field on de Sitter spacetime, this framework has been applied to compute the power spectrum of the quantum fluctuations and to show that it is almost scale-invariant. We test the robustness and the range of applicability of this proposal by applying it to a less idealized, but physically motivated, scenario, namely we consider Friedmann-Robertson-Walker spacetimes which behave only asymptotically in the past as a de Sitter spacetime. We show in particular that, under this new assumption and independently from any renormalization freedom, the power spectrum associated to scalar perturbations of the metric behaves consistently with an almost scale-invariant power spectrum.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2014

Radiative observables for linearized gravity on asymptotically flat spacetimes and their boundary induced states

We discuss the quantization of linearized gravity on globally hyperbolic, asymptotically flat, vacuum spacetimes and the construction of distinguished states which are both of Hadamard form and invariant under the action of all bulk isometries. The procedure, we follow, consists of looking for a realization of the observables of the theory as a sub-algebra of an auxiliary, non-dynamical algebra constructed on future null infinity $\Im^+$. The applicability of this scheme is tantamount to proving that a solution of the equations of motion for linearized gravity can be extended smoothly to $\Im^+$. This has been claimed to be possible provided that a suitable gauge fixing condition, first written by Geroch and Xanthopoulos, is imposed. We review its definition critically showing that there exists a previously unnoticed obstruction in its implementation leading us to introducing the concept of radiative observables. These constitute an algebra for which a Hadamard state induced from null infinity and invariant under the action of all spacetime isometries exists and it is explicitly constructed.

gr-qc↗