Quantum fields in curved space

Описание

Preface to the paperback edition
Since the book first went to press, there have been several important
advances in this subject area. The topic of interacting fields in curved space
has been greatly developed, especially in connection with the phenomenon
of symmetry breaking and restoration in the very early universe, where
both high temperatures and spacetime curvature are significant. A
direct consequence of this work has been the formulation of the so-called
inflationary universe scenario, in which the universe undergoes a de Sitter
phase in the very early stages. This work has focussed attention once more
on quantum field theory in de Sitter space, and on the calculation of < <£2 >.
A comprehensive review of the inflationary scenario is given in The Very
Early Universe, edited by G.W. Gibbons, S.W. Hawking and S.T.C Siklos
(Cambridge University Press, 1983).
Further results of a technical nature have recently been obtained
concerning a number of the topics considered in this book. Mention should
be made of the work of M.S. Fawcett, who has finally calculated the
quantum stress tensor for a Schwarzschild black hole (Commun. Math.
Phys., 81 (1983), 103), and of W.G. Unruh & R.M. Wald, who have clarified
the thermodynamic properties of black holes by appealing to the effects of
accelerated mirrors close to the event horizon {Phys. Rev. D, 25 (] 982), 942;
27 (1983), 2271). Interest has also arisen over field theories in higher-
dimensional spacetimes, in which Casimir and other vacuum effects
become important. For a review, see E. Witten, Nucl. Phys. B, 186 (1981),
412. Finally, much further work has been done on the properties of particle
detectors (see, for example, the paper by K.J. Hinton in J. Phys. A: Gen.
Phys., 16(1983), 1937).
We are grateful to K.J. Hinton, J. Pfautsch, S.D. Unwin and W.R.
Walker for assistance in revising the text.
Note added at 1986 reprinting
We would like to thank Professor H. Minn for providing corrections to
the original printing.

Детали