Semiclassical probability distribution function for finite-temperature field theory
- 15 March 1981
- journal article
- research article
- Published by American Physical Society (APS) in Physical Review D
- Vol. 23 (6), 1392-1410
- https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevd.23.1392
Abstract
We study semiclassical methods for evaluating the canonical probability distribution function in field theory for systems in thermodynamic equilibrium. Field configurations which dominate the semiclassical distribution function are interpretable as "finite-temperature most-probable escape paths" (FTMPEP's) in field space and are related to the recently discovered caloron solutions, which are known to partially dominate the semiclassical partition function . We present a semiclassical path-integral approximation for the distribution function and also discuss a Hartree self-consistent field approximation.
Keywords
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