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Articles 1 - 7 of 7

Full-Text Articles in Astrophysics and Astronomy

Effective Field Theory Approach To Gravitationally Induced Decoherence, M. P. Blencowe Jan 2013

Effective Field Theory Approach To Gravitationally Induced Decoherence, M. P. Blencowe

Dartmouth Scholarship

Adopting the viewpoint that the standard perturbative quantization of general relativity provides an effective description of quantum gravity that is valid at ordinary energies, we show that gravity as an environment induces the rapid decoherence of stationary matter superposition states when the energy differences in the superposition exceed the Planck energy scale.


Non-Equilibrium Landauer Transport Model For Hawking Radiation From A Black Hole, P. D. Nation, M. P. Blencowe, Franco Nori Mar 2012

Non-Equilibrium Landauer Transport Model For Hawking Radiation From A Black Hole, P. D. Nation, M. P. Blencowe, Franco Nori

Dartmouth Scholarship

We propose that the Hawking radiation energy and entropy flow rates from a black hole can be viewed as a one-dimensional (1D), non-equilibrium Landauer transport process. Support for this viewpoint comes from previous calculations invoking conformal symmetry in the near-horizon region, which give radiation rates that are identical to those of a single 1D quantum channel connected to a thermal reservoir at the Hawking temperature. The Landauer approach shows in a direct way the particle statistics independence of the energy and entropy fluxes of a black hole radiating into vacuum, as well as one near thermal equilibrium with its environment. …


The Trilinear Hamiltonian: A Zero-Dimensional Model Of Hawking Radiation From A Quantized Source, Paul D. Nation, Miles P. Blencowe Sep 2010

The Trilinear Hamiltonian: A Zero-Dimensional Model Of Hawking Radiation From A Quantized Source, Paul D. Nation, Miles P. Blencowe

Dartmouth Scholarship

We investigate a quantum parametric amplifier with dynamical pump mode, viewed as a zero-dimensional model of Hawking radiation from an evaporating black hole. We derive the conditions under which the spectrum of particles generated from vacuum fluctuations deviates from the thermal spectrum predicted for the conventional parametric amplifier. We find that significant deviations arise when the pump mode (black hole) has emitted nearly half of its initial energy into the signal (Hawking radiation) and idler (in-falling particle) modes. As a model of black hole dynamics, this finding lends support to the view that late-time Hawking radiation contains information about the …


Lower Limit To The Scale Of An Effective Quantum Theory Of Gravitation, R. R. Caldwell, Daniel Grin Jan 2008

Lower Limit To The Scale Of An Effective Quantum Theory Of Gravitation, R. R. Caldwell, Daniel Grin

Dartmouth Scholarship

An effective quantum theory of gravitation in which gravity weakens at energies higher than ∼10−3  eV is one way to accommodate the apparent smallness of the cosmological constant. Such a theory predicts departures from the Newtonian inverse-square force law on distances below ∼0.05  mm. However, it is shown that this modification also leads to changes in the long-range behavior of gravity and is inconsistent with observed gravitational lenses.


Casimir Forces And Non-Newtonian Gravitation, Roberto Onofrio Oct 2006

Casimir Forces And Non-Newtonian Gravitation, Roberto Onofrio

Dartmouth Scholarship

The search for non-relativistic deviations from Newtonian gravitation can lead to new phenomena signalling the unification of gravity with the other fundamental interactions. Various recent theoretical frameworks indicate a possible window for non-Newtonian forces with gravitational coupling strength in the micrometre range. The major expected background in the same range is attributable to the Casimir force or variants of it if dielectric materials, rather than conducting ones, are considered. Here we review the measurements of the Casimir force performed so far in the micrometre range and how they determine constraints on non-Newtonian gravitation, also discussing the dominant sources of false …


A First Principles Warm Inflation Model That Solves The Cosmological Horizon And Flatness Problems, Arjun Berera, Marcelo Gleiser, Rudnei O. Ramos Jul 1999

A First Principles Warm Inflation Model That Solves The Cosmological Horizon And Flatness Problems, Arjun Berera, Marcelo Gleiser, Rudnei O. Ramos

Dartmouth Scholarship

A quantum field theory warm inflation model is presented that solves the horizon and flatness problems. The model obtains, from the elementary dynamics of particle physics, cosmological scale factor trajectories that begin in a radiation dominated regime, enter an inflationary regime, and then smoothly exit back into a radiation dominated regime, with non-negligible radiation throughout the evolution.


Strong Dissipative Behavior In Quantum Field Theory, Arjun Berera, Marcelo Gleiser, Rudnei O. Ramos Nov 1998

Strong Dissipative Behavior In Quantum Field Theory, Arjun Berera, Marcelo Gleiser, Rudnei O. Ramos

Dartmouth Scholarship

We study the conditions under which an overdamped regime can be attained in the dynamic evolution of a quantum field configuration. Using a real-time formulation of finite temperature field theory, we compute the effective evolution equation of a scalar field configuration, quadratically interacting with a given set of other scalar fields. We then show that, in the overdamped regime, the dissipative kernel in the field equation of motion is closely related to the shear viscosity coefficient, as computed in scalar field theory at finite temperature. The effective dynamics is equivalent to a time-dependent Ginzburg-Landau description of the approach to equilibrium …