Tagged Questions
3
votes
2answers
90 views
Imaginary time in QFT
I'm reading chapter 4 of Introduction to Quantum Field Theory by Peskin & Schroeder. In the $\phi^4$ theory, the authors state that the ground state of the interaction theory $|\Omega\rangle$ can ...
5
votes
2answers
313 views
The analogy between temperature and imaginary time
There are many statements about the relation between time and temperature in statistical physics and quantum field theory, the basic idea is to interpret (inverse) temperature in statistics as "time" ...
1
vote
3answers
275 views
Energy-time uncertainty and pair creation
Usually, the energy-time analogue of the position-momentum uncertainty relation is quoted as $\Delta E \Delta t \geq \frac{h}{4 \pi}$. This has interpretational issues and such. But, with a suitable ...
4
votes
1answer
350 views
The nature of time, according to quantum field theory
I will try my best to ask the question that best fits something I have been pondering on for a few days.
Are virtual particles really constantly popping in and out of
existence? Or are they ...
4
votes
7answers
375 views
Is 'now' smeared over time?
Conventional physics as is usually presented in textbooks deals with the evolution of states in phase space parameterized by sharp instances in time, a real parameter. However, quantum fluctuations ...
