A Rotating Quantum Vacuum

TL;DR

This paper explores the quantum field theory in a uniformly rotating frame, defining a new rotating vacuum state, and analyzes particle detection and polarization effects in rotating systems, bridging inertial and non-inertial perspectives.

Contribution

It introduces a quantization scheme in a rotating frame leading to a new vacuum state and connects particle detection with the rotating frame's properties.

Findings

Existence of a rotating vacuum superimposed on Minkowski particles

Strong correlation between rotating particle number and detector response

Analysis of polarization effects in circular accelerators

Abstract

We investigate how a uniformly rotating frame is defined as the rest frame of an observer rotating with constant angular velocity $\Omega$ around the $z$ axis of an inertial frame. Assuming that this frame is a Lorentz one, we second quantize a free massless scalar field in this rotating frame and obtain that creation-anihilation operators of the field are not the same as those of an inertial frame. This leads to a new vacuum state --- a rotating vacuum --- which is a superposition of positive and negative frequency Minkowski particles. After this, introducing an apparatus device coupled linearly with the field we obtain that there is a strong correlation between number of rotating particles (in a given state) obtained via canonical quantization and via response function of the rotating detector. Finally, we analyse polarization effects in circular accelerators in the proper frame of the electron making a connection with the inertial frame point of view.