Non-equilibrium statistical mechanics in the general theory of relativity: II. Linear fields in a kinetic approximation

The first paper in this series introduced a new, manifestly covariant approach to non-equilibrium statistical mechanics in classical general relativity. The object of this second paper is to apply that formalism to the evolution of a collection of particles that interact via linear fields in a fixed curved background spacetime. Given the viewpoint adopted here, the fundamental objects of the theory are a many-particle distribution function, which lives in a many-particle phase space, and a many-particle conservation equation which this distribution satisfies. By viewing a composite N-particle system as interacting one- and (N ? 1)-particle subsystems, one can derive exact coupled equations for appropriately defined reduced one- and (N ? 1)-particle distribution functions. Alternatively, by treating all the particles on an identical footing, one can extract an exact closed equation involving only the one-particle distribution. The implementation of plausible assumptions, which constitute straightforward generalizations of standard non-relativistic “kinetic approximations”, then permits the formulation of an approximate kinetic equation for the one-particle distribution function. In the obvious non-relativistic limit, one recovers the well-known Vlasov-Landau equation. The explicit form for the relativistic expression is obtained for three concrete examples, namely, interactions via an electromagnetic field, a massive scalar field, and a symmetric second rank tensor field. For a large class of interactions, of which these three examples are representative, the kinetic equation will admit a relativistic Maxwellian distribution as an exact stationary solution; and, for these interactions, an H-theorem may be proved.     

Quantum Dynamics with Mean Field Interactions: a New Approach

We propose a new approach for the study of the time evolution of a factorized N-particle bosonic wave function with respect to a mean-field dynamics with a bounded interaction potential. The new technique, which is based on the control of the growth of the correlations among the particles, leads to quantitative bounds on the difference between the many-particle Schrödinger dynamics and the one-particle nonlinear Hartree dynamics. In particular the one-particle density matrix associated with the solution to the N-particle Schrödinger equation is shown to converge to the projection onto the one-dimensional subspace spanned by the solution to the Hartree equation with a speed of convergence of order 1/N for all fixed times.     

Multiplicative and additive cluster expansions for the evolution of quantum spin systems in the ground state

It is shown that for the v-dimensional quantum Ising model in the high temperature region e^?tH in the GNS representation admits a “multiplicative” N-particle cluster expansion and H admits an “additive” N-particle cluster expansion.     

Decay of correlations. IV. Necessary and sufficient conditions for a rapid decay of correlations

We considerN-particle systems whose probability distributions obey the master equation. For these systems, we derive the necessary and sufficient conditions under which the reducedn-particle (n) probabilities also obey master equations and under which the Ursell functions decay to their equilibrium values faster than the probability distributions. These conditions impose restrictions on the form of the transition rate matrix and thus on the form of its eigenfunctions. We first consider systems in which the eigenfunctions of theN-particle transition rate matrix are completely factorized and demonstrate that for such systems, the reduced probabilities obey master equations and the Ursell functions decay rapidly if certain additional conditions are imposed. As an example of such a system, we discuss a random walk ofN pairwise interacting walkers. We then demonstrate that for systems whoseN-particle transition matrix can be written as a sum of one-particle, two-particle, etc. contributions, and for which the reduced probabilities obey master equations, the reduced master equations become, in the thermodynamic limit, those for independent particles, which have been discussed by us previously. As an example of suchN-particle systems, we discuss the relaxation of a gas of interacting harmonic oscillators.Supported in part (grants to D.B. and K.E.S.) by the Advanced Research Projects Agency of the Department of Defense as monitored by the U.S. Office of Naval Research under Contract N00014-69-A-0200-6018, and in part (grant to I.O.) by the National Science Foundation.     

Exact local in time evolution equations for macroobservables

By introducing an evolution equation for the generalized Gibbs state σ(t), the N-particle distribution function is expressed as a linear functional of σ(t). Exact equations local in time for the time evolution of macroobservables are obtained. The kinetic coefficients appear as the fixed point of a conveniently defined microscopic expression which may be considered as a natural extension of the Kubo formula.     

Exact statements about many-particle systems with higher symmetries

A new method of calculating the energy spectrum of a system of A identical Fermi particles with translationally invariant interaction is developed under the assumption that there exists a high symmetry in the 3A-dimensional space of particle coordinates. For a special class of symmetries the many-body problem is split exactly into two sets of equations: one containing only totally symmetric combinations of the particle coordinates which are called “collective variables” and the other equation taking essentially into account the requirements of the Pauli principle and connected symmetry properties. In several cases it is possible to obtain the excitation spectra exactly showing qualitatively new features. They depend on “many-particle quantum numbers” varying independently of each other in an interval which sometimes depends on A. For special high symmetries the collective variables obey equations which are very similar to one-particle equations providing a new explanation of the “Independent-Particle Model” for arbitrary strength and form of the interaction potential. A manifold of unknown up to now excitation spectra of many-particle systems is obtained and discussed.     

Thermodynamic Bethe Ansatz for N = 1 supersymmetric theories

We study a series of N = 1 supersymmetric integrable particle theories in d = 1 + 1 dimensions. These theories are represented as integrable perturbations of specific N = 1 superconformal field theories. Starting from the conjectured S-matrices for these theories, we develop the Thermodynamic Bethe Ansatz (TBA), where we use that the 2-particle S-matrices satisfy a free fermion condition. Our analysis proves a conjecture by E. Melzer, who proposed that these N = 1 supersymmetric. TBA systems are “folded” versions of N = 2 supersymmetric TBA systems that were first studied by P. Fendley and K. Intriligator.     

Analyticity properties and many-particle structure in general quantum field theory

The extraction of one-particle singularities from then-point functions is performed in the framework of L.S.Z. field theory in the case of a single massive scalar field. It is proved that the “one-particle irreducible” functions thus obtained enjoy the analytic and algebraic primitive structure of generaln-point functions (up to a finite number of generalized C.D.D. singularities). Finally under an additional technical assumption, it is shown that the Glaser-Lehmann-Zimmermann relations stating the completeness of asymptotic states yield similar relations satisfied in any given channel by the corresponding one-particle irreducible functions.     

Perturbative Implementation of the Furry Picture

Recently the block-diagonalization of Dirac-operators was investigated from a mathematical point of view in the one-particle case [14]. We extend this result to the N-particle case. This leads to a perturbative realization of the Furry picture in the N-particle two-spinor space.      

Polarization properties of fluctuations of the field created by randomly located dipoles

The vector properties of the strength of a field created by an ensemble of N parallel dipoles located, on average, uniformly are considered. For N → ∞, the problem is reduced to the Poisson problem. The direction of the dipoles specifies the symmetry axis of fluctuations. The moments of probability distributions for the Cartesian components of the strength are calculated. The anisotropy of the fluctuations is approximately 15–20%. Under conditions that are of interest for spectroscopic applications, the N-particle probability distribution contains a weak broad negative background, the shape of which replicates the one-particle distribution. The analogy between the problem considered and the theory of spectral line broadening in the impact approximation, in particular, the Dicke narrowing of the Doppler profile, is analyzed. Conditions of applicability of the theory developed are discussed.     

Existence of Hartree–Fock excited states for atoms and molecules

For neutral and positively charged atoms and molecules, we prove the existence of infinitely many Hartree–Fock critical points below the first energy threshold (that is, the lowest energy of the same system with one electron removed). This is the equivalent, in Hartree–Fock theory, of the famous Zhislin–Sigalov theorem which states the existence of infinitely many eigenvalues below the bottom of the essential spectrum of the N-particle linear Schrödinger operator. Our result improves a theorem of Lions in 1987 who already constructed infinitely many Hartree–Fock critical points, but with much higher energy. Our main contribution is the proof that the Hartree–Fock functional satisfies the Palais–Smale property below the first energy threshold. We then use minimax methods in the N-particle space, instead of working in the one-particle space.     

The quantum theory of nucleon correlation in finite nuclei. II. Higher order correlation effects and additive pair approximation

In the first part of this article it was shown that the variational solution of the Schroedinger equation of a finite Fermion system can be written as a finite sum of A terms (for A particles) the first of which is the Hartree-Fock energy, while the rest represent the correlation effects. In the first part explicit formulas for the 2-particle correlation energy were given. In this paper explicit formulas are given for the higher order correlation energies. It is shown that two different models can be developed depending on the orthogonality condition used. Beginning with the 4th order effects the “linked” and “unlinked” correlation terms are separated. An exact formula is given for the case in which only the 2-particle effects, linked and unlinked are taken into account. The “additive pair approximation” in which the correlation energy is given as the sum of 2-particle energies is investigated and it is shown to be related to the exact formula by a clearly defined set of approximations. Various possible applications of the model are discussed.     

Macroscopic Einstein equations to second order in the interaction constant

The present paper is a direct continuation of an earlier paper [JETP 83, 1 (1996)] devoted to the derivation of the macroscopic Einstein equations to within terms of second order in the interaction constant. Ensemble averaging of the microscopic Einstein equations and the Liouville equation for the random functions leads to a closed system of macroscopic Einstein equations and kinetic equations for one-particle distribution functions. The macroscopic Einstein equations differ from the classical equations in that their left-hand side contains additional terms due to particle interaction. The terms are traceless tensors with zero divergence. An explicit covariant expression for these terms is given in the form of momentum-space integrals of expressions dependent on one-particle distribution functions of the interacting particles of the medium. The given expressions are proportional to the cube of the Einstein constant and the square of the particle number density. The latter relationship implies that interaction effects manifest themselves in systems of very high density (the universe in the early stages of its evolution, dense objects close to gravitational collapse, etc.) Zh. éksp. Teor. Fiz. 112, 1153–1166 (October 1997)     

Covariant Wigner function approach to the relativistic quantum electron gas in a strong magnetic field

This paper is concerned with a unified approach to some equilibrium properties of the relativistic quantum electron plasma embedded in a strong external magnetic field. This unified approach rests on the systematic use of a covariant Wigner function. The equilibrium Wigner function of the noninteracting gas is derived and its main properties are studied. In particular, it satisfies equations that are the complete analog of the usual Liouville equation and thus can be termed “relativistic quantum Liouville equation” whose properties are considered. The equations of state are rederived in this formalism and the results obtained earlier by Canuto and Chiu are found anew. Also, the covariant Wigner funetion of the magnetized vacuum is derived: it is needed, in this formalism, in order to obtain, e.g., the vacuum polarization tensor. Since we are also interested in the plasma modes, the fluctuations of one-particle quantities—and their spectrum—(in particular, of the four current) are calculated in view of their use in the fluctuation-dissipation theorem. We also outline a microscopic proof of this theorem, on the basis of a BBGKY hierarchy for the covariant Wigner functions, and point out the existence of an effective plasma frequency.     

N-particle correlations in the McKean model

In the McKean model the BBGKY hierarchy is equivalent to a simple hierarchy of coupled equations for thep-particle correlation functions. Approximate solutions are obtained by truncating the hierarchy. The convergence of the truncation method is studied by comparison with the exact solution for the model, which can be given in closed form. In the long-time limit the exact solution is linearized around the equilibrium value, showing the decay of the correlations. It turns out thatp-particle correlations decayp times faster than the nonequilibrium one-particle distribution.     

The Hubble law and the spiral structures of galaxies from equations of motion in general relativity

Fully exploiting the Lie group that characterizes the underlying symmetry of general relativity theory, Einstein's tensor formalism factorizes, yielding a generalized (16-component) quaternion field formalism. The associated generalized geodesic equation, taken as the equation of motion of a star, predicts the Hubble law from one approximation for the generally covariant equations of motion, and the spiral structure of galaxies from another approximation. These results depend on the imposition of appropriate boundary conditions. The Hubble law follows when the boundary conditions derive from the oscillating model cosmology, and not from the other cosmological models. The spiral structures of the galaxies follow from the same boundary conditions, but with a different time scale than for the whole universe. The solutions that imply the spiral motion areFresnel integrals. These predict the star's motion to be along the “Cornu Spiral.” The part of this spiral in the first quadrant is the imploding phase of the galaxy, corresponding to a motion with continually decreasing radii, approaching the galactic center as time increases. The part of the “Cornu Spiral” in the third quadrant is the exploding phase, corresponding to continually increasing radii, as the star moves out from the hub. The spatial origin in the coordinate system of this curve is the inflection point, where the explosion changes to implosion. The two- (or many-) armed spiral galaxies are explained here in terms of two (or many) distinct explosions occurring at displaced times, in the domain of the rotating, planar galaxy.