Thermal effects on neutrino-nucleus inelastic scattering in stellar environments

Thermal effects for inelastic neutrino-nucleus scattering off even-even nuclei in the iron region are studied. Allowed and first-forbidden contributions to the cross sections are calculated within the quasiparticle random-phase approximation, extended to finite temperatures within the Thermo-Field-Dynamics formalism. The GT₀ strength distribution at finite temperatures is calculated for the sample nucleus ⁵⁴Fe. The neutral-current neutrino-nucleus inelastic cross section is calculated for relevant temperatures during the supernova core collapse. The thermal population of the excited states significantly enhances the cross section at low neutrino energies. In agreement with studies using a large scale shell-model approach the enhancement is mainly due to neutrino up-scattering at finite temperatures.     

TFD extension of a self-consistent RPA to finite temperatures

The self-consistent RPA (SCRPA) developed by Schuck and coauthors is extended to finite temperatures. The corresponding equations are derived by using the formalism of thermofield dynamics. The intrinsic energy of a system is calculated as the expectation value of the Hamiltonian with respect to a T-dependent thermal vacuum state for a thermal-phonon operator. A nonvanishing number of thermal quasiparticles in the vacuum state are assumed. By virtue of the assumption, the thermal Hartree-Fock (HF) equations appear to be coupled to the equations of motion for phonon variables. The thermal occupation numbers are also calculated in a consistent way with the energies of the HF quasiparticles. The approximation is applied to the two-level Lipkin model. Advantages of the thermal SCRPA (TSCRPA) are most obvious at temperatures near the phase-transition point. In the TSCRPA, the phase transition occurs at lower T than in other approximations. Moreover, within the TSCRPA, a statistical behavior of the Lipkin model is described with an appropriate accuracy at any T even if the HF transformation parameter is kept fixed at a value corresponding to the “spherical” phase of the HF field.     

Cornwall-Jackiw-Tomboulis Effective Potential for Quark Propagator in Real-Time Thermal Field Theory and Landau Gauge

We complete the derivation of the Cornwall-Jackiw-Tomboulis effective potentiM for quark propagator at finite temperature and finite quark chemical potential in the real-time formalism of thermal field theory and in Landau gauge. In the approximation that the function A（p^2） in inverse quark propagator is replaced by unity, by means of the running gauge coupling and the quark mass function invariant under the renormalization group in zero temperature Quantum Chromadynamics （QCD）, we obtain a calculable expression for the thermal effective potential, which will be a useful means to research chiral phase transition in QCD in the real-time formalism.     

Cornwall-Jackiw-Tomboulis Effective Potential for Quark Propagator in Real-Time Thermal Field Theory and Landau Gauge

We complete the derivation of the Cornwall-Jackiw-Tomboulis effective potential for quark propagator at finite temperature and finite quark chemical potential in the real-time formalism of thermal field theory and in Landau gauge. In the approximation that the function A(p2) in inverse quark propagator is replaced by unity, by means of the running gauge coupling and the quark mass function invariant under the renormalization group in zero temperature Quantum Chromadynamics (QCD), we obtain a calculable expression for the thermal effective potential, which will be a useful means to research chiral phase transition in QCD in the real-time formalism.     

Mean-field theories with mixed states and associated boson expansions

A variational derivation of the Liouville-von Neumann equation of quantum-statistical mechanics is presented, in order to formulate mean-field approximations appropriate to mixed states. The Hartree-Fock and the RPA at finite temperatures are particular cases of the general formalism. A thermal boson expansion is defined, which allows us to describe anharmonic motion around a thermal excited state. In a numerical application on the basis of the Lipkin model, temperature-dependent phase transitions are observed.     

Real time thermal propagators for massive gauge bosons

We derive Feynman rules for gauge theories exhibiting spontaneous symmetry breaking using the real-time formalism of finite temperature field theory. We also derive the thermal propagators where only the physical degrees of freedom are given thermal boundary conditions. We analyse the abelian Higgs model and find that these new propagators simplify the calculation of the thermal contribution to the self energy.     

Electronic thermal Hall effect in silicene

We theoretically investigate the electronic thermal Hall effect in silicene via a discrete four-band model. Based on the linear response theory, a formalism to address the transverse thermal conductivity is developed. In the absence of an exchange field, the transverse thermal conductivity vanishes due to the time-reversal symmetry. The transverse conductivity becomes finite in the presence of an exchange field and exhibits several peaks with opposite signs. The peak values increase as the field becomes strong. However, as the temperature becomes high, the peak values begin to decay. The results may be helpful in exploring spin caloritronics based on silicene.     

Ground-state correlations and finite temperature properties of the transverse Ising model

We present a semi-analytic study of Ising spins on a simple square or cubic lattice coupled to a transverse magnetic field of variable strength. The formal analysis employs correlated basis functions (CBF) theory to investigate the properties of the corresponding N-body ground and excited states. For these states we discuss two different ansaetze of correlated trial wave functions and associated longitudinal and transverse excitation modes. The formalism is then generalized to describe the spin system at nonzero temperatures with the help of a suitable functional approximating the Helmholtz free energy. To test the quality of the functional in a first step we perform numerical calculations within the extended formalism but ignore spatial correlations. Numerical results are reported on the energies of the longitudinal and the transverse excitation modes at zero temperature, on critical data at finite temperatures, and on the optimized spontaneous magnetization as a function of temperature and external field strength.     

Thermodynamic Potential of Relativistic Electron Plasma

Within the real time formalism of quantum field theory at finite temperatures based on the closed-time-path Green's function approach, a closed analytical expression of the thermodynamic potential of a relativistic electron plasma is derived under the random phase approximation by summing up all ring diagrams. The result is natural extension to the relativistic case sf our previous formula derived in the case of a Coulomb gas.     

Bloch-Messiah theorem at finite temperature

The Bloch-Messiah theorem is extended to the thermal Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov (THFB) theory by making use of the thermo field dynamics. This enables us to define the correct order parameter describing the superconducting phase at finite temperature, and demonstrates consistency of the THFB formalism.Dedicated to Prof. Dr. H.J. Mang on the occasion of his 60th birthday     

Fermionic dispersion relations at finite temperature and non-vanishing chemical potentials in the minimal standard model

We calculate the fermionic dispersion relations in the minimal standard model at finite temperature in presence of non-vanishing chemical potentials due to the CP-asymmetric fermionic background. The dispersion relations are calculated for a vacuum expectation value of the Higgs field equal to zero (unbroken electroweak symmetry). The calculation is performed in the real time formalism of the thermal field theory at one-loop order in a general ζ gauge. The fermionic self-energy is calculated at leading order in temperature and chemical potential and this fact permits us to obtain gauge-invariant analytical expressions for the dispersion relations.     

Finite-temperature quantum field theory in Minkowski space

We formulate finite-temperature quantum field theories in Minkowski space (real time) using Feynman path integrals. We show that at non-zero temperature a new field arises which plays the role of a ghost field and is necessary for unambiguous Feynman rules. Consequently, the finite-temperature Lagrangian is different from the zero-temperature one and a new, discrete Z₂ symmetry arises. We discuss the functional formalism and spontaneous symmetry breakdown at finite temperature and also the possibility of spontaneous breakdown of the (thermal) Z₂ symmetry.     

Neutrino-antineutrino pair emission from thermally excited nuclei in stellar collapse

We examine the rate of neutrino-antineutrino pair emission by hot nuclei in collapsing stellar cores. The rates are calculated assuming that only allowed charge-neutral Gamow-Teller (GT₀) transitions contribute to the decay of thermally excited nuclear states. To obtain the GT₀ transition matrix elements, we employ the quasiparticle random phase approximation extended to finite temperatures within the thermo field dynamics formalism. The decay rates and the energy emission rates are calculated for the sample nuclei ⁵⁶Fe and ⁸²Ge at temperatures relevant to core collapse supernovae.     

On some peculiarities of propagation of weak electromagnetic pulses in Bose-Einstein condensates of alkali-metal atoms

We study theoretically the linear response of a gas in the state with Bose-Einstein condensate to the perturbation by an external electromagnetic field (weak laser pulse). The Green’s functions formalism is used to study the dispersion characteristics of a system at finite temperatures. It is shown that the group velocity of the near-resonant pulses in condensate in some cases can strongly depend on the temperature. Basing on the account of the Zeeman splitting of the magnetic states we study also a possibility to filter light pulses by the condensate with several occupied quantum states.     

Zero energy and thermodynamic equilibrium

Using path integral techniques, it is shown that the real time formalism for finite temperature field theory requires an extra Feynman rule for Feynman diagrams carrying zero-external energies. This is related to a general principle governing the use of equilibrium finite temperature field theory. It is shown that only with this extra Feynman rule does the real time formalism become consistent for zero energy calculations. It is also used to understand the problem of the lack of analyticity at zero external four-momenta encountered in finite temperature field theory diagrams.     

Lenses as an atom-photon interface: A semiclassical model

Strong interaction between the light field and an atom is often achieved with cavities. Recent experiments have used a different configuration: a propagating light field is strongly focused using a system of lenses, the atom being supposed to sit at the focal position. In reality, this last condition holds only up to some approximation; in particular, at any finite temperature, the atom position fluctuates. We present a formalism that describes the focalized field and the atom sitting at an arbitrary position. As a first application, we show that thermal fluctuations do account for the extinction data reported in M. K. Tey et al., Nature Physics 4, 924 (2008).     

Extension of Nelson?s stochastic quantization to finite temperature using thermo field dynamics

We present an extension of Nelson?s stochastic quantum mechanics to finite temperature. Utilizing the formulation of Thermo Field Dynamics (TFD), we can show that Ito?s stochastic equations for tilde and non-tilde particle positions reproduce the TFD-type Schrödinger equation which is equivalent to the Liouville-von Neumann equation. In our formalism, the drift terms in the Ito?s stochastic equation have the temperature dependence and the thermal fluctuation is induced through the correlation of the non-tilde and tilde particles. We show that our formalism satisfies the position-momentum uncertainty relation at finite temperature.     

Charge-exchange transitions in hot nuclei

A formalism based on the thermo field dynamics and allowing one to treat thermal effects on the strength distribution of charge-exchange transitions in hot nuclei is developed. The strength distributions of the allowed and first-forbidden p → n transitions are calculated for the neutron-rich nucleus ⁸⁰Ge at different temperatures. Then the electron capture rates on the same nucleus are calculated at temperatures and densities corresponding to an advanced stage of stellar evolution. Published in Russian in Yadernaya Fizika, 2009, Vol. 72, No. 8, pp. 1373–1384. The text was translated by the authors.     

Simultaneous Effects of Impurity and Electric Field on Entropy Behavior in Double Cone-Like Quantum Dot

In this work, the simultaneous effects of electric field and impurity on the non-extensive entropy of a GaAs/Ga_(0.5) In_(0.5) As double cone-like quantum dot that is grown on a Ga As wet layer are studied. The system is under an external electric field directed along the-x direction. First, we have solved the Schr¨odinger equation using the finite element method. Then, we have used the Tsallis formalism and calculated the entropy of the system for different temperatures, electric fields and impurity locations. It is found that the entropy decreases with increasing the electric field and temperature. Since the electric field directed along the-x direction, the entropy reduces when the impurity moves toward the left hand side.     

Nonlocal Ginzburg-Landau Equations

Real time Gor'kov equations and the accompanying electric current expression in terms of the retarded Green's functions are established at finite temperatures with the aid of the Closed-Time-Path-Green's-Function formalism. The fluctuation-dissipation theorem then helps us to obtain nonlocal G-L equations near T_c which reduces to the conventional G-L equations in the local limit. The kernel containing nonlocal effects in our equations has an asymptotic behavior k^-2 for k → ∞ and is, therefore, quite different from the BCS kernel. This novel kernel leads naturally to reversal of the magnetic field in the neighborhood of a vortex in type Ⅱ/1 superconductors.