Axiomatic renormalization of the stress tensor of a conformally invariant field in conformally flat spacetimes

Using only the general properties which the renormalized stress-energy tensor T_μν should satisfy—and not relying on any assumptions associated with specific renormalization techniques—we derive the expression for T_μν for conformally invariant fields in conformally flat spacetimes of two and four dimensions. In two dimensions, these arguments rederive the Davies-Fulling-Unruh expression for the stress tensor of a scalar field; in four dimensions the results agree with those of Brown and Cassidy, except that we exclude the local curvature term depending on fourth-order derivatives of the metric. The dynamics of a k = 0 Robertson-Walker universe filled with radiation of the conformally invariant field is investigated and it is found that the equations cease to admit a solution when the Planck density is reached.