Origins of thermalization in quantum cosmology

Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorOsei, Michael Adjei
dc.contributor.authorUniversity of Lethbridge. Faculty of Arts and Science
dc.contributor.supervisorDasgupta, Arundhati
dc.date.accessioned2024-02-14T22:58:46Z
dc.date.available2024-02-14T22:58:46Z
dc.date.issued2023
dc.degree.levelMasters
dc.description.abstractWe aim to provide the effect of accelerated frames in cosmology and identify the origins of thermalization in the evolution of the universe. We begin our discussion by discussing general relativity and cosmology, as well as their successes and failures, which leads to the need for quantum cosmology. We then discuss the canonical formulation of general relativity, which is the basis of quantum cosmology, and its issues. We constructed a wavefunction for the universe whose dynamics are governed by the Wheeler-Dewitt equation. Semiclassical approximations simplify assumptions and approximations that bring the equation closer to a form that can be more easily analyzed. The WKB method is used to approximate the wave function. We constructed a transformation that is similar to the Rindler transformation motivated by the Klein-Gordon equation in Minkowski spacetime. We performed the Bogoliubov transformation and obtained a result which suggested thermalization. However, we were not using creation and annihilation operators. To interpret this result, we calculated the density matrix and the square of the density matrix to see if the WKB state is a pure or mixed state. The result from the density matrix calculation suggested that the WKB state is a mixed state, which suggested that the result we obtained from the Bogoliubov transformation can be interpreted as thermalization.
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10133/6686
dc.language.isoen
dc.proquest.subject0606
dc.proquest.subject0599
dc.proquest.subject0596
dc.proquestyesYes
dc.publisherLethbridge, Alta. : University of Lethbridge, Dept. of Physics and Astronomy
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Physics and Astronomy
dc.publisher.facultyArts and Science
dc.relation.ispartofseriesThesis (University of Lethbridge. Faculty of Arts and Science)
dc.subjectquantum cosmology
dc.subjectquantum general relativity
dc.subjectevolution of the universe
dc.subjectthermalization
dc.subject.lcshQuantum cosmology--Research
dc.subject.lcshGeneral relativity (Physics)--Research
dc.subject.lcshThermodynamics--Research
dc.subject.lcshDissertations, Academic
dc.titleOrigins of thermalization in quantum cosmology
dc.typeThesis
Files
Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
OSEI_MICHAEL_MSC_2023.pdf
Size:
5.31 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Download
License bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
license.txt
Size:
3.25 KB
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description:
Download
Collections
Arts and Science, Faculty of
University of Lethbridge Theses