Quantum field theory in spherically symmetric spacetimes and the vacuum awakening effect.

• Grant number: 11/06429-3
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Effective date (Start): July 01, 2011
• Effective date (End): July 31, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Physics - Elementary Particle Physics and Fields
• Principal researcher: George Emanuel Avraam Matsas
• Grantee: Raissa Fernandes Pessoa Mendes
• Home Institution: Instituto de Física Teórica (IFT). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de São Paulo. São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 07/55449-1 - Physics in curved spacetimes, AP.TEM

Abstract

In this project, we shall analyze vacuum effects in the context of quantum field theory in spherically symmetric spacetimes. We shall give special attention to the recently unveiled "vacuum awakening effect". Among the main avenues to be explored, we emphasize the question whether or not other fields beyond the Klein-Gordon one are able to awake the vacuum, leading to semiclassical instabilities (and, if so, we shall wonder in what conditions such instabilities would be triggered). Moreover, we shall search for neutron star astrophysical data to rule out the existence of some free fields about which almost nothing can be presently said, since they do not interact with ordinary matter with which particle detectors are manufactured. In spite of it, because of the equivalence principle they must interact with gravity and be sensitive to the vacuum awakening effect.

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

MENDES, RAISSA F. P.; MATSAS, GEORGE E. A.; VANZELLA, DANIEL A. T. Instability of nonminimally coupled scalar fields in the spacetime of slowly rotating compact objects. Physical Review D, v. 90, n. 4 AUG 18 2014. Web of Science Citations: 10.

MENDES, RAISSA F. P.; MATSAS, GEORGE E. A.; VANZELLA, DANIEL A. T. Quantum versus classical instability of scalar fields in curved backgrounds. Physical Review D, v. 89, n. 4 FEB 24 2014. Web of Science Citations: 12.

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

MENDES, Raissa Fernandes Pessoa. Aspectos quânticos e clássicos da instabilidade de campos fundamentais em espaços-tempos astrofísicos. 2014. Doctoral Thesis - Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp). Instituto de Física Teórica (IFT). São Paulo São Paulo.