Thermalization of Quantum Fields from Time-Reversal Invariant Evolution Equations
High Energy Physics - Phenomenology
2010-02-04 v1 Condensed Matter
High Energy Physics - Lattice
Abstract
We study the time evolution of correlation functions in closed quantum systems for nonequilibrium ensembles of initial conditions. For a scalar quantum field theory we show that generic time-reversal invariant evolutions approach equilibrium at large times. The calculation provides a first principles justification of Boltzmann's conjecture that the large-time behavior of isolated macroscopic systems can be described by thermal ensemble averages.
Cite
@article{arxiv.hep-ph/0006160,
title = {Thermalization of Quantum Fields from Time-Reversal Invariant Evolution Equations},
author = {J. Berges and J. Cox},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:hep-ph/0006160},
year = {2010}
}
Comments
5 pages, 4 figures