Joint cosmology seminar at Tufts:

Tuesday, December 2, 2014, 2:30 pm
Robinson Hall, Room 250
Tufts University
Refreshments at 2:00 in Knipp Library, Room 251

Quantization Of Linearized Gravity In Cosmological Vacuum Spacetimes

Chris Fewster
York

Abstract:

Mathematically rigorous approaches to quantization of quantum fields in curved spacetimes have been developed for well over 30 years, mainly in what is called the algebraic approach. However, linearized gravity was not treated in this framework until very recently [CJ Fewster and DS Hunt, Reviews in Mathematical Physics 25, (2013) 1330003]. In this talk I will describe what the algebraic approach aims to achieve, starting with the scalar field, and then moving on to the problems that arise in treating linearized gravity. I will focus on the main ideas and also talk about some applications and open directions.