Quantum Field Theory in Curved Spacetime
Quantum Field Theory in Curved Spacetime
Quantum field theory in curved spacetime has been remarkably fruitful. It can be used to explain how the large-scale structure of the universe and the anisotropies of the cosmic background radiation that we observe today first arose. Similarly, it provides a deep connection between general relativity, thermodynamics, and quantum field theory. This book develops quantum field theory in curved spacetime in a pedagogical style, suitable for graduate students. The authors present detailed, physically motivated, derivations of cosmological and black hole processes in which curved spacetime plays a key role. They explain how such processes in the rapidly expanding early universe leave observable consequences today, and how in the context of evaporating black holes, these processes uncover deep connections between gravitation and elementary particles. The authors also lucidly describe many other aspects of free and interacting quantized fields in curved spacetime.
- Emphasises physically motivated derivations to gradually introduce the material to the reader
- Takes the reader from introductory to research level, by including comprehensive discussions of applications to cosmology and black holes
- Describes many other aspects of free and interacting quantized fields in curved spacetime to provide a deeper understanding of the material
Product details
No date availableHardback
9780521877879
472 pages
253 × 180 × 30 mm
1kg
Table of Contents
- Preface
- Conventions and notation
- 1. Quantum fields in Minkowski spacetime
- 2. Basics of quantum fields in curved spacetimes
- 3. Expectation values quadratic in fields
- 4. Particle creation by black holes
- 5. The one-loop effective action
- 6. The effective action: non-gauge theories
- 7. The effective action: gauge theories
- Appendixes
- References
- Index.
