Quantum master equation for the vacuum decay dynamics
Abstract The quantum master equation required to describe the dynamics of gravity-related vacuum decay is still challenging. We aim to study this issue. Our model consists of the spacetime and scalar field with self-interaction potential. The environment is chosen as spacetime while the system is fo...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SpringerOpen
2023-09-01
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| Series: | Journal of High Energy Physics |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1007/JHEP09(2023)113 |
| _version_ | 1797371246269169664 |
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| author | Hong Wang Jin Wang |
| author_facet | Hong Wang Jin Wang |
| author_sort | Hong Wang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The quantum master equation required to describe the dynamics of gravity-related vacuum decay is still challenging. We aim to study this issue. Our model consists of the spacetime and scalar field with self-interaction potential. The environment is chosen as spacetime while the system is formed by the vacua of the scalar field. We demonstrate that the quantum dynamics of the vacua can be described by the Redfield equation, which can depict the evolution of both coherence and the comoving volume fraction of the vacuum. Under the Markovian limit, coherence monotonically decreases with time, leading to the initial quantum state to decohere into a classical state. This helps the understanding of the decoherence of the universe. We also highlight that in certain circumstances, the evolution of the vacuum system may display non-Markovian dynamics. In specific scenarios, the classical limit of the quantum master equation is consistent with the classical master equation. In the steady state, the dominant vacuum corresponds to the smallest cosmological constant, and various dS vacua can reach equilibrium states. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T18:17:07Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e9f3cd6143df473cbaaf8883cc098029 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1029-8479 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T18:17:07Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | SpringerOpen |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of High Energy Physics |
| spelling | doaj.art-e9f3cd6143df473cbaaf8883cc0980292023-12-31T12:08:30ZengSpringerOpenJournal of High Energy Physics1029-84792023-09-012023912510.1007/JHEP09(2023)113Quantum master equation for the vacuum decay dynamicsHong Wang0Jin Wang1State Key Laboratory of Electroanalytical Chemistry, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of SciencesDepartment of Chemistry and Department of Physics and Astronomy, State University of New York at Stony BrookAbstract The quantum master equation required to describe the dynamics of gravity-related vacuum decay is still challenging. We aim to study this issue. Our model consists of the spacetime and scalar field with self-interaction potential. The environment is chosen as spacetime while the system is formed by the vacua of the scalar field. We demonstrate that the quantum dynamics of the vacua can be described by the Redfield equation, which can depict the evolution of both coherence and the comoving volume fraction of the vacuum. Under the Markovian limit, coherence monotonically decreases with time, leading to the initial quantum state to decohere into a classical state. This helps the understanding of the decoherence of the universe. We also highlight that in certain circumstances, the evolution of the vacuum system may display non-Markovian dynamics. In specific scenarios, the classical limit of the quantum master equation is consistent with the classical master equation. In the steady state, the dominant vacuum corresponds to the smallest cosmological constant, and various dS vacua can reach equilibrium states.https://doi.org/10.1007/JHEP09(2023)113Models of Quantum GravityEffective Field Theories |
| spellingShingle | Hong Wang Jin Wang Quantum master equation for the vacuum decay dynamics Journal of High Energy Physics Models of Quantum Gravity Effective Field Theories |
| title | Quantum master equation for the vacuum decay dynamics |
| title_full | Quantum master equation for the vacuum decay dynamics |
| title_fullStr | Quantum master equation for the vacuum decay dynamics |
| title_full_unstemmed | Quantum master equation for the vacuum decay dynamics |
| title_short | Quantum master equation for the vacuum decay dynamics |
| title_sort | quantum master equation for the vacuum decay dynamics |
| topic | Models of Quantum Gravity Effective Field Theories |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1007/JHEP09(2023)113 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT hongwang quantummasterequationforthevacuumdecaydynamics AT jinwang quantummasterequationforthevacuumdecaydynamics |