Published July 2008 | Version v1
Journal article

The Unruh effect and its applications

  • 1. Instituto de Fisica Teorica, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Rua Pamplona 145, 01405-900 Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil)
  • 2. Department of Mathematics, University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD (United Kingdom)
  • 3. Faculdade de Fisica, Universidade Federal do Para, Campus Universitario do Guama, 66075-900 Belem, Para (Brazil)

Description

It has been 30 years since the discovery of the Unruh effect. It has played a crucial role in our understanding that the particle content of a field theory is observer dependent. This effect is important in its own right and as a way to understand the phenomenon of particle emission from black holes and cosmological horizons. The Unruh effect is reviewed here with particular emphasis on its applications. A number of recent developments are also commented on and some controversies are discussed. Effort is also made to clarify what seem to be common misconceptions.

Additional details

Publishing Information

Journal Title
Reviews of Modern Physics
Journal Volume
80
Journal Issue
3
Journal Page Range
p. 787-838
ISSN
0034-6861
CODEN
RMPHAT

INIS

Country of Publication
United States
Country of Input or Organization
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
INIS RN
43128778
Subject category
S72: PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS;
Descriptors DEI
BLACK HOLES; CONFIGURATION; COSMOLOGY; EMISSION; PARTICLES; QUANTUM FIELD THEORY; SPACE-TIME
Descriptors DEC
FIELD THEORIES

Optional Information

Notes
(c) 2008 The American Physical Society