Tunnelling in a time dependent quartic potential: Possible implications for cosmology

7th International Conference on Gravitation and Cosmology

Kabir, R.^1 ; Mukherjee, A.^1

Department of Physics and Astrophysics, University of Delhi, Delhi 110007, India^1

关键词: Arbitrary potentials;    Double-well potential;    Multiple time scale;    Numerical investigations;    Per unit volume;    Scalar field theory;    Single particle;    Transition rates;   

Others  :  https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1742-6596/484/1/012063/pdf
DOI  :  10.1088/1742-6596/484/1/012063

来源: IOP

【 摘 要 】

The theory of a real scalar field with an arbitrary potential plays an important role in cosmology, particularly in the context of inflationary scenarios. However, in most applications, the potential is treated as independent of time, whereas in an evolving universe, for example, before the onset of inflation, the potential is actually likely to be changing with time. As pointed out by Berry in the context of single-particle quantum mechanics, the existence of multiple time scales can lead to results that are qualitatively different from those obtained with a static potential. The present paper reports on numerical investigations in a scalar field theory with a double-well potential that depends explicitly on time. The transition rate per unit volume for the decay of the false vacuum is found to depend strongly on time. Possible implications for old inflation are discussed.