2015/05/15 by Dharam Vir Ahluwalia, Lance Labun, Giorgio Torrieri
Mathematics · Physics and Astronomy · #Advanced Mathematical Theories and Applications #Algebraic and Geometric Analysis #Coupling (piping) #Field (mathematics) #Inertial frame of reference #Neutrino #Neutrino oscillation #Quantum #Quantum Electrodynamics and Casimir Effect #Quantum field theory #Realization (probability) #Unruh effect #hep-ph #hep-th #quant-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1088/1742-6596/706/4/042006
Honorable mention, Gravity Research Foundation essay competition
arxiv created 2015/05/15 · openalex publication_date 2016/04/01 · arxiv updated 2016/06/22 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
We give an overview of the issues and ambiguities associated with the Unruh effect, and argue that, as well as a very interesting phenomenon, it can also be used as a probe of fundamental physics. In particular, We point out that, because the detectable neutrino is not a mass Eigenstate, the Unruh effect works in a qualitatively different way than for any inertial process. For inertial processes, neutrinoes are produced as charged eigenstates, rather than as mass Eigenstates as in the comoving frame. This makes the Unruh effect detectable in microscopic processes, via, for example, p→ nl+νl decays. Such an experiment would be invaluable both as a tool to measure neutrino masses and mixing angles, and to investigate the fundamental quantization of fields.