arXiv subjects

Detlev Buchholz

Publications and source records attributed to Detlev Buchholz.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2008

Warped Convolutions: A Novel Tool in the Construction of Quantum Field Theories

Recently, Grosse and Lechner introduced a novel deformation procedure for non-interacting quantum field theories, giving rise to interesting examples of wedge-localized quantum fields with a non-trivial scattering matrix. In the present article we outline an extension of this procedure to the general framework of quantum field theory by introducing the concept of warped convolutions: given a theory, this construction provides wedge-localized operators which commute at spacelike distances, transform covariantly under the underlying representation of the Poincare group and admit a scattering theory. The corresponding scattering matrix is nontrivial but breaks the Lorentz symmetry, in spite of the covariance and wedge-locality properties of the deformed operators.

math-ph↗

arXiv2008

The Resolvent Algebra: A New Approach to Canonical Quantum Systems

The standard C*-algebraic version of the algebra of canonical commutation relations, the Weyl algebra, frequently causes difficulties in applications since it neither admits the formulation of physically interesting dynamical laws nor does it incorporate pertinent physical observables such as (bounded functions of) the Hamiltonian. Here a novel C*-algebra of the canonical commutation relations is presented which does not suffer from such problems. It is based on the resolvents of the canonical operators and their algebraic relations. The resulting C*-algebra, the resolvent algebra, is shown to have many desirable analytic properties and the regularity structure of its representations is surprisingly simple. Moreover, the resolvent algebra is a convenient framework for applications to interacting and to constrained quantum systems, as we demonstrate by several examples.

math.OA↗

arXiv2007

Local Temperature in Curved Spacetime

A physically meaningful local concept of temperature is introduced in quantum field theory on curved spacetime and applied to the example of a massless field on de Sitter space. It turns out in this model that the equilibrium (Gibbs) states which can be prepared by a geodesic observer have in general a varying temperature distribution in the neighborhood of the geodesic and may not even allow for a consistent thermal interpretation close to the horizon. This result, which can be traced back to the Unruh effect, illustrates the failure of a global notion of temperature in curved spacetime and reveals the need for a local concept, as presented here.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2006

String-- and Brane--Localized Causal Fields in a Strongly Nonlocal Model

We study a weakly local, but nonlocal model in spacetime dimension $d \geq 2$ and prove that it is maximally nonlocal in a certain specific quantitative sense. Nevertheless, depending on the number of dimensions $d$, it has string--localized or brane--localized operators which commute at spatial distances. In two spacetime dimensions, the model even comprises a covariant and local subnet of operators localized in bounded subsets of Minkowski space which has a nontrivial scattering matrix. The model thus exemplifies the algebraic construction of local observables from algebras associated with nonlocal fields.

math-ph↗

arXiv2006

Nuclearity and Thermal States in Conformal Field Theory

We introduce a new type of spectral density condition, that we call L^2-nuclearity. One formulation concerns lowest weight unitary representations of SL(2,R) and turns out to be equivalent to the existence of characters. A second formulation concerns inclusions of local observable von Neumann algebras in Quantum Field Theory. We show the two formulations to agree in chiral Conformal QFT and, starting from the trace class condition for the semigroup generated by the conformal Hamiltonian L_0, we infer and naturally estimate the Buchholz-Wichmann nuclearity condition and the (distal) split property. As a corollary, if L_0 is log-elliptic, the Buchholz-Junglas set up is realized and so there exists a beta-KMS state for the translation dynamics on the net of C*-algebras for every inverse temperature beta>0. We include further discussions on higher dimensional spacetimes. In particular, we verify that L^2-nuclearity is satisfied for the scalar, massless Klein-Gordon field.

math-ph↗

arXiv2006

Asymptotic Abelianness and Braided Tensor C*-Categories

By introducing the concepts of asymptopia and bi-asymptopia, we show how braided tensor C*-categories arise in a natural way. This generalizes constructions in algebraic quantum field theory by replacing local commutativity by suitable forms of asymptotic Abelianness.

math-ph↗

arXiv2006

Algebraic Supersymmetry: A case study

The treatment of supersymmetry is known to cause difficulties in the C*-algebraic framework of relativistic quantum field theory; several no-go theorems indicate that super-derivations and super-KMS functionals must be quite singular objects in a C*-algebraic setting. In order to clarify the situation, a simple supersymmetric chiral field theory of a free Fermi and Bose field defined on $\R$ is analyzed. It is shown that a meaningful C*-version of this model can be based on the tensor product of a CAR-algebra and a novel version of a CCR-algebra, the "resolvent algebra". The elements of this resolvent algebra serve as mollifiers for the super-derivation. Within this model, unbounded (yet locally bounded) graded KMS-functionals are constructed and proven to be supersymmetric. From these KMS-functionals, Chern characters are obtained by generalizing formulae of Kastler and of Jaffe, Lesniewski and Osterwalder. The characters are used to define cyclic cocycles in the sense of Connes' noncommutative geometry which are "locally entire".

math-ph↗

arXiv2004

Stable quantum systems in anti-de Sitter space: Causality, independence and spectral properties

If a state is passive for uniformly accelerated observers in n-dimensional anti-de Sitter space-time (i.e. cannot be used by them to operate a perpetuum mobile), they will (a) register a universal value of the Unruh temperature, (b) discover a PCT symmetry, and (c) find that observables in complementary wedge-shaped regions necessarily commute with each other in this state. The stability properties of such a passive state induce a "geodesic causal structure" on AdS and concommitant locality relations. It is shown that observables in these complementary wedge-shaped regions fulfill strong additional independence conditions. In two-dimensional AdS these even suffice to enable the derivation of a nontrivial, local, covariant net indexed by bounded spacetime regions. All these results are model-independent and hold in any theory which is compatible with a weak notion of space-time localization. Examples are provided of models satisfying the hypotheses of these theorems.

math-ph↗

arXiv2004

Geometric modular action and spontaneous symmetry breaking

We study spontaneous symmetry breaking for field algebras on Minkowski space in the presence of a condition of geometric modular action (CGMA) proposed earlier as a selection criterion for vacuum states on general space-times. We show that any internal symmetry group must commute with the representation of the Poincare group (whose existence is assured by the CGMA) and each translation-invariant vector is also Poincare invariant. The subspace of these vectors can be centrally decomposed into pure invariant states and the CGMA holds in the resulting sectors. As positivity of the energy is not assumed, similar results may be expected to hold for other space--times.

math-ph↗

arXiv2004

Quantum statistics and locality

It is shown that two observers have mutually commuting observables if they are able to prepare in each subsector of their common state space some state exhibiting no mutual correlations. This result establishes a heretofore missing link between statistical and locality (commensurability) properties of the observables of spacelike separated observers in relativistic quantum physics, envisaged four decades ago by Haag and Kastler. It is based on a discussion of coincidence experiments and suggests a physically meaningful quantitative measure of possible violations of Einstein causality.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2004

Modular Nuclearity and Localization

Within the algebraic setting of quantum field theory, a condition is given which implies that the intersection of algebras generated by field operators localized in wedge--shaped regions of two--dimensional Minkowski space is non--trivial; in particular, there exist compactly localized operators in such theories which can be interpreted as local observables. The condition is based on spectral (nuclearity) properties of the modular operators affiliated with wedge algebras and the vacuum state and is of interest in the algebraic approach to the formfactor program, initiated by Schroer. It is illustrated here in a simple class of examples.

math-ph↗

arXiv2003

An Algebraic Characterization of Vacuum States in Minkowski Space. III. Reflection Maps

Employing the algebraic framework of local quantum physics, vacuum states in Minkowski space are distinguished by a property of geometric modular action. This property allows one to construct from any locally generated net of observables and corresponding state a continuous unitary representation of the proper Poincare group which acts covariantly on the net and leaves the state invariant. The present results and methods substantially improve upon previous work. In particular, the continuity properties of the representation are shown to be a consequence of the net structure, and surmised cohomological problems in the construction of the representation are resolved by demonstrating that, for the Poincare group, continuous reflection maps are restrictions of continuous homomorphisms.

math-ph↗

arXiv2003

On hot bangs and the arrow of time in relativistic quantum field theory

A recently proposed method for the characterization and analysis of local equilibrium states in relativistic quantum field theory is applied to a simple model. Within this model states are identified which are locally (but not globally) in thermal equilibrium and it is shown that their local thermal properties evolve according to macroscopic equations. The largest space-time regions in which local equilibrium states can exist are timelike cones. Thus, although the model does not describe dissipative effects, such states fix in a natural manner a time direction. Moreover, generically they determine a distinguished space-time point where a singularity in the temperature (a hot bang) must have occurred if local equilibrium prevailed thereafter. The results illustrate how the breaking of the time reflection symmetry at macroscopic scales manifests itself in a microscopic setting.

hep-th↗

arXiv2002

Covariant and quasi-covariant quantum dynamics in Robertson-Walker space-times

We propose a canonical description of the dynamics of quantum systems on a class of Robertson-Walker space-times. We show that the worldline of an observer in such space-times determines a unique orbit in the local conformal group SO(4,1) of the space-time and that this orbit determines a unique transport on the space-time. For a quantum system on the space-time modeled by a net of local algebras, the associated dynamics is expressed via a suitable family of ``propagators''. In the best of situations, this dynamics is covariant, but more typically the dynamics will be ``quasi-covariant'' in a sense we make precise. We then show by using our technique of ``transplanting'' states and nets of local algebras from de Sitter space to Robertson-Walker space that there exist quantum systems on Robertson-Walker spaces with quasi-covariant dynamics. The transplanted state is locally passive, in an appropriate sense, with respect to this dynamics.

hep-th↗

arXiv2002

Asymptotic dynamics of thermal quantum fields

It is shown that the timelike asymptotic properties of thermal correlation functions in relativistic quantum field theory can consistently be described in terms of free fields carrying some stochastic degree of freedom which couples to the thermal background. These ``asymptotic thermal fields'' have specific algebraic properties (commutation relations) and their dynamics can be expressed in terms of asymptotic field equations. The formalism is applied to interacting theories where it yields concrete non-perturbative results for the asymptotic thermal propagators. The results are consistent with the expected features of dissipative propagation of the constitutents of thermal states, outlined in previous work, and they shed new light on the non-perturbative effects of thermal backgrounds.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2002

Thermodynamic Properties of Non-Equilibrium States in Quantum Field Theory

Within the framework of relativistic quantum field theory, a novel method is established which allows to distinguish non-equilibrium states admitting locally a thermodynamic interpretation. The basic idea is to compare these states with global equilibrium states (KMS states) by means of local thermal observables. With the help of such observables, the states can be ordered into classes of increasing local thermal stability. Moreover, it is possible to identify states exhibiting certain specific thermal properties of interest, such as a definite local temperature or entropy density. The method is illustrated in a simple model describing the spatio-temporal evolution of a ``big heat bang''.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2000

Transplantation of Local Nets and Geometric Modular Action on Robertson-Walker Space-Times

A novel method of transplanting algebras of observables from de Sitter space to a large class of Robertson-Walker space-times is exhibited. It allows one to establish the existence of an abundance of local nets on these spaces which comply with a recently proposed condition of geometric modular action. The corresponding modular symmetry groups appearing in these examples also satisfy a condition of modular stability, which has been suggested as a substitute for the requirement of positivity of the energy in Minkowski space. Moreover, they exemplify the conjecture that the modular symmetry groups are generically larger than the isometry and conformal groups of the underlying space-times.

hep-th↗

arXiv2000

Algebraic Quantum Field Theory: A Status Report

Algebraic quantum field theory is an approach to relativistic quantum physics, notably the theory of elementary particles, which complements other modern developments in this field. It is particularly powerful for structural analysis but has also proven to be useful in the rigorous treatment of models. In this contribution a non-technical survey is given with emphasis on interesting recent developments and future perspectives. Topics covered are the relation between the algebraic approach and conventional quantum field theory, its significance for the resolution of conceptual problems (such as the revision of the particle concept) and its role in the characterization and possibly also construction of quantum field theories with the help of modular theory. The algebraic approach has also shed new light on the treatment of quantum field theories on curved spacetime and made contact with recent developments in string theory (algebraic holography).

math-ph↗