Generalized Gibbs ensembles for quantum field theories
Fabian H. L. EßlerThe Rudolf Peierls Centre for Theoretical Physics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3NP, United KingdomGiuseppe MussardoInternational Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), I-34151 Trieste, ItalyMiłosz PanfilSISSA and INFN, Sezione di Trieste, via Beirut 2/4, I-34151 Trieste, Italy
2015en
ABI
Abstract
We consider the nonequilibrium dynamics in quantum field theories (QFTs). After being prepared in a density matrix that is not an eigenstate of the Hamiltonian, such systems are expected to relax locally to a stationary state. In the presence of local conservation laws, these stationary states are believed to be described by appropriate generalized Gibbs ensembles. Here we demonstrate that in order to obtain a correct description of the stationary state, it is necessary to take into account conservation laws that are not (ultra)local in the usual sense of QFTs, but fulfill a significantly weaker form of locality. We discuss the implications of our results for integrable QFTs in one spatial dimension.
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