arXiv subjects

Gilles Buldgen

Publications and source records attributed to Gilles Buldgen.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2022

General Markovian Equation for Scalar Fields in a Slowly Evolving Background

We present a general and model-independent method to obtain an effective Markovian quantum kinetic equation for the expectation value of a slowly evolving scalar field in an adiabatically evolving background from first principles of nonequilibrium quantum field theory. The method requires almost no assumptions about the field's interactions and the composition of the background, except that 1) the coupling constants shall be small enough for perturbation theory to be applicable, 2) there is a clear separation between microphysical time scales and the rate at which bulk properties change, and 3) higher time derivatives of the field remain small. The resulting Markovian equation of motion is expressed in terms of an effective potential and friction coefficients. Motivated by cosmological applications we focus on spatially homogeneous and isotropic systems, but the approach could also be applied to spatial gradients.

hep-ph↗

arXiv2021

Towards a precision calculation of $N_{\rm eff}$ in the Standard Model II: Neutrino decoupling in the presence of flavour oscillations and finite-temperature QED

We present in this work a new calculation of the standard-model benchmark value for the effective number of neutrinos, $N_{\rm eff}^{\rm SM}$, that quantifies the cosmological neutrino-to-photon energy densities. The calculation takes into account neutrino flavour oscillations, finite-temperature effects in the quantum electrodynamics plasma to ${\cal O}(e^3)$, where $e$ is the elementary electric charge, and a full evaluation of the neutrino--neutrino collision integral. We provide furthermore a detailed assessment of the uncertainties in the benchmark $N_{\rm eff}^{\rm SM}$ value, through testing the value's dependence on (i)~optional approximate modelling of the weak collision integrals, (ii)~measurement errors in the physical parameters of the weak sector, and (iii)~numerical convergence, particularly in relation to momentum discretisation. Our new, recommended standard-model benchmark is $N_{\rm eff}^{\rm SM} = 3.0440 \pm 0.0002$, where the nominal uncertainty is attributed predominantly to errors incurred in the numerical solution procedure ($|δN_{\rm eff}| \sim10^{-4}$), augmented by measurement errors in the solar mixing angle $\sin^2θ_{12}$ ($|δN_{\rm eff}| \sim10^{-4}$).

hep-ph↗

arXiv2020

Towards a precision calculation of the effective number of neutrinos $N_{\rm eff}$ in the Standard Model I: The QED equation of state

We revisit several aspects of Standard Model physics at finite temperature that drive the theoretical value of the cosmological parameter $N_{\rm eff}$, the effective number of neutrinos in the early universe, away from 3. Our chief focus is finite-temperature corrections to the equation of state of the QED plasma in the vicinity of neutrino decoupling at $T \sim 1$ MeV, where $T$ is the photon temperature. Working in the instantaneous decoupling approximation, we recover at ${\cal O}(e^2)$, where $e$ is the elementary electric charge, the well-established correction of $δN_{\rm eff}^{(2)} \simeq 0.010$ across a range of plausible neutrino decoupling temperatures, in contrast to an erroneous claim in the recent literature which found twice as large an effect. At ${\cal O}(e^3)$ we find a new and significant correction of $δN_{\rm eff}^{(3)} \simeq -0.001$ that has so far not been accounted for in any precision calculation of $N_{\rm eff}$, significant because this correction is potentially larger than the change in $N_{\rm eff}$ induced between including and excluding neutrino oscillations in the transport modelling. In addition to the QED equation of state, we make a first pass at quantifying finite-temperature QED corrections to the weak interaction rates that directly affect the neutrino decoupling process, and find that the ${\cal O}(e^2)$ thermal electron mass correction induces a change of $δN_{\rm eff}^{m_{\rm th}} \lesssim 10^{-4}$. A complete assessment of the various effects considered in this work on the final value of $N_{\rm eff}$ will necessitate an account of neutrino energy transport beyond the instantaneous decoupling approximation. However, relative to $N_{\rm eff} = 3.044$ obtained in the most recent such calculation, we expect the new effects found in this work to lower the number to $N_{\rm eff} = 3.043$.

hep-ph↗