Work

Nonthermal Fixed Points: Effective Weak Coupling for Strongly Correlated Systems Far from Equilibrium

Year: 2008

Type: article

Abstract: Strongly correlated systems far from equilibrium can exhibit scaling solutions with a dynamically generated weak coupling. We show this by investigating isolated systems described by relativistic quantum field theories for initial conditions leading to nonequilibrium instabilities, such as parametric resonance or spinodal decomposition. The nonthermal fixed points prevent fast thermalization if classical-statistical fluctuations dominate over quantum fluctuations. We comment on the possible significance of these results for the heating of the early Universe after inflation and the question of fast thermalization in heavy-ion collision experiments.

Source: Physical Review Letters

DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.101.041603

Authors: Jürgen Berges, Alexander Rothkopf, Jonas Schmidt

Institutions: University of California, Santa Barbara, Technische Universität Darmstadt, Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics, The University of Tokyo, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY

Language: English

Topic: High-Energy Particle Collisions Research

Subfield: Nuclear and High Energy Physics

Field: Physics and Astronomy

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: green

OpenAlex ID: W1966812401

FWCI: 5.178

Cites: 15

Cited by: 265

Related to: 10