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Generalized Gibbs ensembles for quantum field theories

F. H. L. Essler, G. Mussardo, and M. Panfil
Phys. Rev. A 91, 051602(R) – Published 14 May 2015
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Abstract

We consider the nonequilibrium dynamics in quantum field theories (QFTs). After being prepared in a density matrix that is not an eigenstate of the Hamiltonian, such systems are expected to relax locally to a stationary state. In the presence of local conservation laws, these stationary states are believed to be described by appropriate generalized Gibbs ensembles. Here we demonstrate that in order to obtain a correct description of the stationary state, it is necessary to take into account conservation laws that are not (ultra)local in the usual sense of QFTs, but fulfill a significantly weaker form of locality. We discuss the implications of our results for integrable QFTs in one spatial dimension.

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  • Received 8 December 2014

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.91.051602

©2015 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

F. H. L. Essler1, G. Mussardo2,3, and M. Panfil2

  • 1The Rudolf Peierls Centre for Theoretical Physics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3NP, United Kingdom
  • 2SISSA and INFN, Sezione di Trieste, via Beirut 2/4, I-34151 Trieste, Italy
  • 3International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), I-34151 Trieste, Italy

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Issue

Vol. 91, Iss. 5 — May 2015

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