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New Semiclassical Picture of Vacuum Decay
Jonathan Braden1, Matthew C Johnson2, Hiranya V Peiris1,3
1Department of Physics and Astronomy, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom.
Physical Review Letters
|August 7, 2019
Summary
This study presents a new real-time method for vacuum decay, avoiding classically forbidden paths. Lattice simulations confirm vacuum decay via bubble formation, matching existing techniques.
Area of Science:
- Theoretical Physics
- Quantum Field Theory
- Cosmology
Background:
- Understanding vacuum decay is crucial for cosmology and particle physics.
- Existing semiclassical methods rely on classically forbidden tunneling, limiting real-time analysis.
Purpose of the Study:
- Introduce a novel, real-time picture of vacuum decay.
- Develop a method independent of classically forbidden tunneling paths.
- Validate the new approach using lattice simulations.
Main Methods:
- Employed lattice simulations to model vacuum decay.
- Generated realizations of vacuum fluctuations.
- Evolved systems using classical equations of motion.
Main Results:
- Observed vacuum decay through bubble nucleation and expansion.
- Achieved decay rates in excellent agreement with established semiclassical techniques.
- Demonstrated a real-time description of vacuum decay.
Conclusions:
- The new real-time approach offers a viable alternative to semiclassical methods.
- Future work can explore bubble correlation functions and fast decay scenarios.
- The method is applicable to the decay of nonvacuum states.
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