Quantum Fields, Cosmic Inflation & the Arrow of Time
Relativistic fields, Noether symmetries, early-universe inflation, and entropy
Moves from David Tong's Perimeter quantum field theory lectures into Alan Guth's inflationary cosmology, Jocelyn Bell Burnell's pulsar discovery, and Carlo Rovelli on thermodynamic time.
Curriculum sequence
6
Lecture 01 - Introductory remarks on quantum field theory and classical field theory
Motivates why combining special relativity with quantum mechanics forces particle number to fluctuate.
Lecture 02 - Noether's theorem and the energy momentum tensor
Derives conserved energy-momentum currents from continuous spacetime symmetries via Noether's theorem.
1. Inflationary Cosmology: Is Our Universe Part of a Multiverse? Part I
Frames the horizon and flatness puzzles of standard Big Bang cosmology.
2. Inflationary Cosmology: Is Our Universe Part of a Multiverse, Part II
Shows how false-vacuum repulsive gravity drives exponential cosmic inflation.
The Discovery of Pulsars
Recounts the radio-astronomy detective work that uncovered rapidly rotating neutron stars.
The Physics and Philosophy of Time
Examines why fundamental field equations are time-reversible while macroscopic experience flows forward.