Semiclassical Physics and Quantum Fluctuations

May 24, 1988
20 pages
Published in:
  • Phys.Rev.D 37 (1988) 3522
Report number:
  • Print-88-0393 (UC,SANTA BARBARA)

Citations per year

19901999200820172024024681012
Abstract: (APS)
We investigate theories in which classical and quantum-mechanical degrees of freedom interact dynamically. In commonly used semiclassical theories, such as those used to study inflationary-universe models, quantum fluctuations do not affect the dynamics of the classical variables. We construct a new semiclassical theory in which the quantum and classical fluctuations do affect each other; the Wigner probability function turns out to be a special case. Relevance to calculations of perturbations from inflation are discussed.
  • FIELD THEORY: HAMILTONIAN FORMALISM
  • QUANTIZATION
  • APPROXIMATION: semiclassical
  • FIELD THEORY: CLASSICAL
  • CORRELATION FUNCTION
  • MODEL: INFLATION