De Sitter Invariant Vacuum States, Vertex Operators, and Conformal Field Theory Correlators

We show that there is only one physically acceptable vacuum state for quantum fields in de Sitter space-time which is left invariant under the action of the de Sitter-Lorentz group $SO(1,d)$ and supply its physical interpretation in terms of the Poincare invariant quantum field theory (QFT) on one dimension higher Minkowski spacetime. We compute correlation functions of the generalized vertex operator $:e^{i\hat{S}(x)}:$, where $\hat{S}(x)$ is a massless scalar field, on the $d$-dimensional de Sitter space and demonstrate that their limiting values at timelike infinities on de Sitter space reproduce correlation functions in $(d-1)$-dimensional Euclidean conformal field theory (CFT) on $S^{d-1}$ for scalar operators with arbitrary real conformal dimensions. We also compute correlation functions for a vertex operator $e^{i\hat{S}(u)}$ on the \L obaczewski space and find that they also reproduce correlation functions of the same CFT. The massless field $\hat{S}(u)$ is the nonlocal transform of the massless field $\hat{S}(x)$ on de Sitter space introduced by one of us.Comment: 14 pages, LaTeX file We thank Roman Jackiw for bringing to our attention Ref. 1

Infrared limit in external field scattering

Scattering of electrons/positrons by external classical electromagnetic wave packet is considered in infrared limit. In this limit the scattering operator exists and produces physical effects, although the scattering cross-section is trivial.Comment: 12 pages; published version; minor corrections; comments adde

Filozofia fizyki teoretycznej Einsteina i Diraca

The subject of considerations in this work are Einstein's and Dirac's views on theoretical physics. Using as an example the Euclidean geometry and its epistemological status through the ages, the author outlines the basic philosophy of the modern theoretical physics, emphasising in particular the prominent role of ideas of simplicity and beauty as the guiding principles of research in theoretical physics.The subject of considerations in this work are Einstein's and Dirac's views on theoretical physics. Using as an example the Euclidean geometry and its epistemological status through the ages, the author outlines the basic philosophy of the modern theoretical physics, emphasising in particular the prominent role of ideas of simplicity and beauty as the guiding principles of research in theoretical physics

On the issue of gravitons

We investigate the problem of whether one can anticipate any features of the graviton without a detailed knowledge of a full quantum gravity. Assuming that in linearized gravity the graviton is in a sense similar to the photon, we derive a curious large number coincidence between the number of gravitons emitted by a solar planet during its orbital period and the number of its nucleons. In Einstein's GR the analogy between the graviton and the photon is ill founded. A generic relationship between quanta of a quantum field and plane waves of the corresponding classical field is broken in the case of GR. The graviton cannot be classically approximated by a generic pp wave nor by the exact plane wave. Most important, the ADM energy is a zero frequency characteristic of any asymptotically flat spacetime and this means that any general relationship between energy and frequency is a priori impossible. In particular the formula $E=\hbar \omega$ does not hold. The graviton must have features different from those of the photon and these cannot be predicted from classical general relativity.Comment: 14 pages. One phrase adde