Symmetry breaking. (Q5920457): Difference between revisions

The monograph under review is devoted to the mathematical understanding of spontaneous symmetry breaking (SSB) on the basis of classical field theory (part I SB in classical systems) and quantum field theory (part II SB in Quantum Systems). The discussion SB in part I is based on the mathematical control of the nonlinear evolution of classical fields, with locally square integrable initial data which may possibly have non-vanishing limits at infinity. The main points here are the following: 1) Existence of disjoint Hilbert space sectors stable under time evolution in the set of solutions of the classical nonlinear field equations as the analogs of the different phases of statistical mechanical systems or disjoint phases associated to equations, 2) Such structures allow to reconcile the classic Noether theorem with SSB through a discussion of a mechanism explaining the breaking of the symmetry group of the equations of motion in a given Hilbert space sector H down to the subgroup which leaves H stable, 3) The Goldstone theorem, which improves and partly corrects the heuristic perturbative arguments of the literature. After a preliminary introduction of the role of symmetries in classical field theory these points are sequentially used in Chs. 5--9 of part I: Stable Structures, Hilbert Sectors, Phases; Stability under Space Translations , Positive Energy; Examples; the Goldstone theorem. The realization of these theoretical explanation and especially of the role of Noether's theorem is carried out in concrete problems of Ch. 10. The first seven chapters of the bigger second part ``SB in Quantum Systems'' are devoted to the general structures arising in the quantum description of infinitely extended systems with emphasis on the physical basis of locality, asymptotic abelianess and cluster property and their mutual relations, leading to a characterization of the pure phases. As before in part 1 the symmetries of the Hamiltonians mean that the symmetry transformations commute with the time evolution. It means that whenever the symmetry can be implemented by a physically realizable correspondence between the states of the systems, no symmetry breaking can be observed. The way out of this obstruction is the realization that for infinitely extended systems, the algebra of observables defining a given system and its time evolution do not select a unique realization of the system. Technically it means in accordance with the point 1) the existence of inequivalent representation of the algebra of observables and the occurrence of SSB is related to instability with respect to the symmetry transformations. This occurrence of inequivalent representations is briefly shown in Chs. 1--3. The localization properties of observables together with the related asymptotic abelianess and cluster property play a crucial role for the identification of the physically relevant representations and of the ``pure'' phases. The explanation of SSB on this base is contained in Chs. 4--7. General criteria and non-perturbative constructive approaches to SSB are presented in Chs. 8--10 and applied in concrete situations in Ch. 11 ``Symmetry breaking in the Ising Model'' and 13 ``Fermi and Bose Gas at Nonzero Temperature''. The modification of the general structure for systems at non-zero temperature and the basic role of the KMS condition is presented in Ch. 12 ``Thermal states'' describing the states of a systems at nonzero temperature. The aim of Ch. 15 ``Breaking of Continuous Symmetries and Goldstone's Theorem'' is to show the connection between SB of continuous symmetry and absence the energy gap. The nonzero temperature version of the Goldstone theorem is proved in Ch. 16. Its extension to the more general case where the Hamiltonian and the generator of the symmetry group generate a Lie algebra i.e. extension to non-symmetric Hamiltonians, with the derivation of nontrivial (non-perturbative) information on the energy gap of the modified Goldstone spectrum are presented in Ch. 18. The Goldstone theorem for relativistic local fields is considered in Ch. 17. This version for gauge symmetries in local gauge theories, which accounts for the absence of physical Goldstone bosons (Higgs mechanism) is presented in Ch. 19 by the usage of Gauss' law and results of Ch. 17. The monograph gives a strong mathematical base to the SSB phenomena in applied mathematics and physics. Therefore it will be very useful for mathematicians and physicists, students of relevant specialties.