Aspects of Quantum Field Theory in Curved Spacetime (London Mathematical Society Student Texts, Series Number 17)

This introduction to the theory of quantum fields in curved spacetime, intended for mathematicians, arose from a course taught to graduate students and is designed for self-study or advanced courses in relativity and quantum field theory. The style is informal and some knowledge of general relativity and differential geometry is assumed, yet the author does supply background material on function analysis and quantum field theory as required. Physicists should also gain a sound grasp of various aspects of the theory, some of which have not been particularly emphasized in the existing review literature Cover; Series Page; Title; Copyright; Contents; Preface; Chapter 1 A Quick Course in Quantum Mechanics; CLASSICAL MECHANICS: THE CANONICAL FORMALISM; QUANTUM STATES AND OBSERVABLES; QUANTUM DYNAMICS: THE HEISENBERG PICTURE; THE SCHRODINGER PICTURE; THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE TWO PICTURES; THE CLASSICAL LIMIT; RESPECTIVE ADVANTAGES OF THE TWO PICTURES; Chapter 2 Self-Adjoint, Elliptic Differential Operators and Eigenfunction Expansions; DEFINITIONS; SELF-ADJOINT EXTENSIONS: THE CLASSIC EXAMPLES; THE SPECTRAL THEOREM; THE PROBLEM OF EIGENFUNCTION EXPANSION; THE WEYL-TITCHMARSH-KODAIRA THEORY The theory of quantum fields on curved spacetime has attracted much attention since the discovery of black-hole evaporation. This book provides for mathematicians an introduction to the field of physics in a language, and is based on a course taught to graduate students. Stephen A. Fulling. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [287]-307).