A general-covariant concept of particles in curved background

Abstract

A local current of particle density for scalar fields in curved background is constructed. The current depends on the choice of a two-point function. There is a choice that leads to local non-conservation of the current in a time-dependent gravitational background, which describes local particle production consistent with the usual global description based on the Bogoliubov transformation. Another choice, which might be the most natural one, leads to the local conservation of the current.