thermal field theory

Quantum field theory at nonzero temperatures. Thermal field theory is particularly useful in analyzing the sequence of phase transitions that is thought to have occurred in the early Universe.

Collins Dictionary of Astronomy © Market House Books Ltd, 2006

References in periodicals archive ?

The last two ones define two nonstandard representations of the thermal field theory.

Nonequilibrium Dynamics of the [sigma]-Model Modes on the de Sitter Space

They cover the structure of the space of the physical states, inequivalent representations of the canonical commutation relations, the spontaneous breakdown of symmetry and the Goldstone theorem, the dynamical rearrangement of symmetry and macroscopic manifestations of quantum field theory, thermal field theory and trajectories in the space of the representations, selected topics in thermal field theory, topological defects as non-homogeneous condensates, and dissipation and quantization.

Quantum field theory and its macroscopic manifestations; Boson condensation, ordered patterns, and topological defects