New Light on Infrared Problems: Sectors, Statistics, Spectrum and All That

Within the general setting of algebraic quantum field theory, a new approach to the analysis of the physical state space of a theory is presented; it covers theories with long range forces, such as quantum electrodynamics. Making use of the notion of charge class, which generalizes the concept of superselection sector, infrared problems are avoided. In fact, on this basis one can determine and classify in a systematic manner the proper charge content of a theory, the statistics of the corresponding states and their spectral properties. A key ingredient in this approach is the fact that in real experiments the arrow of time gives rise to a Lorentz invariant infrared cutoff of a purely geometric nature.Comment: 9 pages, 5 figures. Talk given at XVIIth International Congress on Mathematical Physics, Aalborg, 6-11 August 2012; to appear in the proceedings. version 2: unchanged, but layout problems solve

On hot bangs and the arrow of time in relativistic quantum field theory

A recently proposed method for the characterization and analysis of local equilibrium states in relativistic quantum field theory is applied to a simple model. Within this model states are identified which are locally (but not globally) in thermal equilibrium and it is shown that their local thermal properties evolve according to macroscopic equations. The largest space-time regions in which local equilibrium states can exist are timelike cones. Thus, although the model does not describe dissipative effects, such states fix in a natural manner a time direction. Moreover, generically they determine a distinguished space-time point where a singularity in the temperature (a hot bang) must have occurred if local equilibrium prevailed thereafter. The results illustrate how the breaking of the time reflection symmetry at macroscopic scales manifests itself in a microscopic setting.Comment: 21 pages; v2: minor linguistic changes and some typos correcte