2003/07/31 by Mischa Salle
Physics and Astronomy · #hep-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physrevd.69.025005
published as Phys.Rev. D69 (2004) 025005 · 20 pages REVTeX 4, 17 Figures. Uses amsmath.sty and subfigure.sty. Final version, fixed typo in published version
arxiv created 2004/01/30 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01
The topological defects of the lambda phi4 theory, kink and antikink, are studied in the Hartree approximation. This allows us to discuss quantum effects on the defects in both stationary and dynamical systems. The kink mass is calculated for a number of parameters, and compared to classical, one loop and Monte Carlo results known from the literature. We discuss the thermalization of the system after a kink antikink collision. A classical result, the existence of a critical speed, is rederived and shown for the first time in the quantum theory. We also use kink antikink collisions as a very simple toy model for heavy ion collisions and discuss the differences and similarities, for example in the pressure. Finally, using the Hartree Ensemble Approximation allows us to study kink antikink nucleation starting from a thermal (Bose Einstein) distribution. In general our results indicate that on a qualitative level there are few differences with the classical results, but on a quantitative level there are some import ones.