Expectation values and vacuum currents of quantum fields

Abstract

Theory of expectation values is presented as an alternative to S-matrix theory for quantum fields. This change of emphasis is conditioned by a transition from the accelerator physics to astrophysics and cosmology. The issues discussed are the time-loop formalism, the Schwinger - Keldysh diagrams, the effective action, the vacuum currents, and the effect of particle creation.

The course of 4 lectures given at College de France in May 2006. 56 pages

References in corpus (1)

• Covariant Perturbation Theory (IV). Third Order in the Curvature

Cited by in corpus (5)

• Non-local quantum effects in cosmology 1: Quantum memory, non-local FLRW equations and singularity avoidance
• The Speed of Gravity
• Causality in Curved Spacetimes: The Speed of Light & Gravity
• Aspects of Nonlocality in Quantum Field Theory, Quantum Gravity and Cosmology
• The expectation value of the field operator