Instabilities in Field Theory - A Primer with Applications in Modified Gravity

This book presents the most common types of instabilities arising in classical field theories, namely tachyonic, Laplacian, ghost-like or strong coupling instabilities, also commenting on their quantum implications. The authors provide a detailed account on the Ostrogradski theorem and its implications for higher-order time-derivative field theories. After presenting the general concepts and formalism, they dive into its applications to particular field theories, using mainly modified gravity theories as examples. The book is intended for advanced undergraduate/graduate students, but can also be useful for researchers, for having a unified exposition of general results on instabilities in field theory and examples of their applications.

List of contents

Introduction to instabilities and some relevant examples.- Ostrogradski theorem and ghosts.- Examples of instabilities in gravity theories.- References.- Solutions.

Report

"This book is a good resource for colleagues working in the model-building sector within gravitational theories since throughout, they can inspect their results for instabilities before moving to the relevant astrophysical applications." (Daniele Gregoris, Mathematical Reviews, July, 2024)

Product details

• Authors: Adrià Delhom, Alejandro Jiménez Cano, Maldonado To, Francisco José Maldonado Torralba
• Publisher: Springer, Berlin
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 17.09.2023
• EAN: 9783031404320
• ISBN: 978-3-0-3140432-0
• No. of pages: 71
• Dimensions: 155 mm x 4 mm x 235 mm
• Illustrations: XI, 71 p. 3 illus., 2 illus. in color.
• Series: SpringerBriefs in Physics
• Subject: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Physics, astronomy > Theoretical physics