Quantum Statistical Metastability Revisited
Abstract
We calculate the decay rate for a state prepared in a thermal density matrix centered on a metastable ground state. We find a rate that is intrinsically time dependent, as opposed to the constant rates of previous works. The rate vanishes at early times, rises to a maximum and eventually falls-off to zero as a consequence of unitary time evolution. Finally, we discuss extensions of this calculation to field theories and possible implications for both sphaleron mediated transitions and first order inflationary theories.
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