Vacua on the brink of decay

Guilherme L. Pimentel; Alexander M. Polyakov; Grigory M. Tarnopolsky

doi:10.1142/9789813233867_0020

Vacua on the brink of decay

Guilherme L. Pimentel, Alexander M. Polyakov, Grigory M. Tarnopolsky

Physics

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

We consider free massive matter fields in static scalar, electric and gravitational backgrounds. Tuning these backgrounds to the brink of vacuum decay, we identify a term in their effective action that is singular. This singular term is universal, being independent of the features of the background configuration. In the case of gravitational backgrounds, it can be interpreted as a quantum mechanical analog of Choptuik scaling. If the background is tuned slightly above the instability threshold, this singular term gives the leading contribution to the vacuum decay rate.

Original language	English (US)
Title of host publication	Ludwig Faddeev Memorial Volume
Subtitle of host publication	A Life in Mathematical Physics
Publisher	World Scientific Publishing Co.
Pages	399-418
Number of pages	20
ISBN (Electronic)	9789813233867
ISBN (Print)	9789813233768
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1142/9789813233867_0020
State	Published - Jan 1 2018

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Physics and Astronomy(all)
Mathematics(all)

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10.1142/9789813233867_0020

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N2 - We consider free massive matter fields in static scalar, electric and gravitational backgrounds. Tuning these backgrounds to the brink of vacuum decay, we identify a term in their effective action that is singular. This singular term is universal, being independent of the features of the background configuration. In the case of gravitational backgrounds, it can be interpreted as a quantum mechanical analog of Choptuik scaling. If the background is tuned slightly above the instability threshold, this singular term gives the leading contribution to the vacuum decay rate.

AB - We consider free massive matter fields in static scalar, electric and gravitational backgrounds. Tuning these backgrounds to the brink of vacuum decay, we identify a term in their effective action that is singular. This singular term is universal, being independent of the features of the background configuration. In the case of gravitational backgrounds, it can be interpreted as a quantum mechanical analog of Choptuik scaling. If the background is tuned slightly above the instability threshold, this singular term gives the leading contribution to the vacuum decay rate.

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PB - World Scientific Publishing Co.

ER -

Vacua on the brink of decay

Abstract

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

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