1999/05/25 by V. A. Rubakov, S. M. Sibiryakov
Physics and Astronomy · #Black Holes and Theoretical Physics #Conformal map #De Sitter space #De Sitter universe #False vacuum #Instanton #Noncommutative and Quantum Gravity Theories #Path integral formulation #Quantum Electrodynamics and Casimir Effect #Scalar (mathematics) #Scalar field #Semiclassical physics #Vacuum state #astro-ph #gr-qc #hep-th
paper · pdf · doi:10.1007/bf02557243
published as Theor.Math.Phys. 120 (1999) 1194-1212; Teor.Mat.Fiz. 120 (1999) 451-472 · 26 pages,10 figures
arxiv created 1999/05/25 · openalex publication_date 1999/09/01 · arxiv updated 2009/11/30 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
We suggest a technique that explicitly accounts for the structure of an initial state of quantum field in the semiclassical calculations of path integral in curved space-time, and consider decay of metastable state (conformal vacuum of scalar particles above false classical vacuum) in background de Sitter space-time as an example. Making use of this technique, we justify the Coleman-De Luccia approach to the calculation of the decay probability. We propose an interpretation of the Hawking-Moss instanton as a limiting case of constrained instantons. We find that an inverse process of the transition from true vacuum to false one is allowed in de Sitter space-time, and calculate the corresponding probability.