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Quantum Field Theory on Curved Spacetime and the Standard Cosmological Model

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The Message of Quantum Science

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Physics ((LNP,volume 899))

Abstract

The aim of this review is to outline a full route from the fundamental principles of algebraic quantum field theory on curved spacetime in its present-day form to explicit phenomenological applications which allow for comparison with experimental data. We give a brief account on the quantization of the free scalar field and its Wick powers in terms of an algebra of functionals on configuration space. Afterwards we demonstrate that there exist states on this algebra in which the energy momentum tensor is qualitatively and quantitatively of the perfect fluid form assumed in the standard model of cosmology up to small corrections. We indicate the potential relevance of one of these corrections for the actively debated phenomenon of Dark Radiation.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. II. Institut für Theoretische Physik, Universität Hamburg, Luruper Chaussee 149, D-22761, Hamburg, Germany

    Klaus Fredenhagen

  2. Department of Mathematics, University of Genova, via Dodecaneso, 35, I-16146, Genova, Italy

    Thomas-Paul Hack

Authors
  1. Klaus Fredenhagen
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  2. Thomas-Paul Hack
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Correspondence to Klaus Fredenhagen .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Fakultät für Physik, Universität Bielefeld, Bielefeld, Germany

    Philippe Blanchard

  2. Institute for Theoretical Physics, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland

    Jürg Fröhlich

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Fredenhagen, K., Hack, TP. (2015). Quantum Field Theory on Curved Spacetime and the Standard Cosmological Model. In: Blanchard, P., Fröhlich, J. (eds) The Message of Quantum Science. Lecture Notes in Physics, vol 899. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-46422-9_6

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