Unruh & Minkowski Modes: Analytic Extension Explained

In summary, the analytically extended rindler modes share the same vacuum state as the Minkowski vacuum state. The other paper either has a typo or uses a different convention for definition of second modes.
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Why do the so-called unruh modes which are extensions of Rindler modes share the same vacuum as the Minkowski modes, as explained in Carroll's Spacetime and geometry?
In Carroll "Spacetime and Geometry" I found the following explanation for why the analytically extended rindler modes share the same vacuum state as the Minkowski vacuum state:
Screenshot 2021-10-31 at 23.22.40.png

I can't quite understand why the fact that the extended modes [\tex]h_k^{(1),(2)}[\tex] are analytic and bounded on the same region as the Minkowski modes proves that [\tex]h_k^{(1),(2)}[\tex] can be expressed in terms of positive-frequency Minkowski modes only. Why are negative frequency modes out of the picture?
 
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For simplicity, consider only right-moving modes. (The argument for left-moving ones will be analogous.) Positive frequency Minkowski modes are analytic in one half of the complex plane, while negative frequency Minkowski modes are analytic in the other half. Hence, a function that is analytic in one (and not in the other!) half of the plane must have expansion only in terms of one set of Minkowski modes. Modes which are not analytic in the needed half cannot contribute to a function which is analytic there.
 
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But couldn't the left moving negative frequency modes be analytic in that half of the complex plane?
 
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KDPhysics said:
But couldn't the left moving negative frequency modes be analytic in that half of the complex plane?
Right moving wave has an expansion only in terms of right moving modes. You cannot superimpose both left and right moving modes to get a purely right moving wave.
 
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  • #5
I see, thanks!
 
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One last question, the Unruh modes as defined in Sean Carroll's "Spacetime and Geometry" are:
$$h_k^{(1)} = \frac{1}{\sqrt{2\sinh(\pi \omega/a)}}\big(e^{\pi \omega/2a} g_k^{(1)} + e^{-\pi \omega/2a} g_{-k}^{(2)}{}^*\big)$$
On the other hand this paper gives a different definition:
$$h_k^{(1)} = \frac{1}{\sqrt{2\sinh(\pi \omega/a)}}\big(e^{\pi \omega/2a} g_k^{(1)} + e^{-\pi \omega/2a} g_{k}^{(2)}{}^*\big)$$
I can't quite understand how these could be the same.
 
  • #7
The other paper either has a typo or uses a different convention for definition of second modes.
 

1. What is the concept of analytic extension in Unruh & Minkowski modes?

Analytic extension in Unruh & Minkowski modes refers to the mathematical process of extending a function or solution to a larger domain in order to gain more information about its behavior. In this case, it involves extending the solutions of the Unruh & Minkowski modes equations to complex values of the time coordinate in order to better understand the nature of the modes.

2. How does analytic extension help in understanding Unruh & Minkowski modes?

By extending the solutions of the Unruh & Minkowski modes equations to complex values of the time coordinate, we can gain a better understanding of the modes and their behavior. This allows us to explore the modes in more detail and make connections between different solutions that may not have been apparent before.

3. What are the main differences between Unruh & Minkowski modes?

The main difference between Unruh & Minkowski modes lies in the boundary conditions. Unruh modes have boundary conditions that correspond to an accelerating observer in flat spacetime, while Minkowski modes have boundary conditions that correspond to a stationary observer in flat spacetime. Additionally, Unruh modes are defined in the entire Minkowski spacetime, while Minkowski modes are only defined in a restricted region.

4. How are Unruh & Minkowski modes related to each other?

Unruh & Minkowski modes are related to each other through analytic continuation. By analytically extending the solutions of one mode to the complex plane, we can obtain the solutions of the other mode. This allows us to see the connections between the two modes and gain a deeper understanding of their properties.

5. What are some applications of Unruh & Minkowski modes?

Unruh & Minkowski modes have various applications in theoretical physics, particularly in the study of quantum field theory and black hole physics. They also have implications for the understanding of the Unruh effect, which describes the phenomenon of particles being created in an accelerating reference frame. Additionally, the analytic extension of these modes has been used to study the behavior of quantum fields in curved spacetime.

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