Late-time correlators and complex geodesics in de Sitter space
Lars Aalsma, Mir Mehedi Faruk, Jan Pieter van der Schaar, Manus Visser, Job de Witte
SciPost Phys. 15, 031 (2023) · published 26 July 2023
- doi: 10.21468/SciPostPhys.15.1.031
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Abstract
We study two-point correlation functions of a massive free scalar field in de Sitter space using the heat kernel formalism. Focusing on two operators in conjugate static patches we derive a geodesic approximation to the two-point correlator valid for large mass and at late times. This expression involves a sum over two complex conjugate geodesics that correctly reproduces the large-mass, late-time limit of the exact two-point function in the Bunch-Davies vacuum. The exponential decay of the late-time correlator is associated to the timelike part of the complex geodesics. We emphasize that the late-time exponential decay is in tension with the finite maximal entropy of empty de Sitter space, and we briefly discuss how non-perturbative corrections might resolve this paradox.
Cited by 9
Authors / Affiliations: mappings to Contributors and Organizations
See all Organizations.- 1 Lars Aalsma,
- 2 3 4 Mir Mehedi Faruk,
- 2 4 Jan Pieter van der Schaar,
- 5 Manus R. Visser,
- 2 4 Job de Witte
- 1 Arizona State University [ASU]
- 2 Institute of Physics, University of Amsterdam [IoP, UvA]
- 3 McGill University
- 4 Delta Institute for Theoretical Physics [Delta ITP]
- 5 University of Cambridge
- Heising-Simons Foundation
- Ministerie van Onderwijs, Cultuur en Wetenschap / Ministry of Education Culture and Science [OCW]
- Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek / Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research [NWO]
- Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung / Swiss National Science Foundation [SNF]