In this thesis, we examine the evolution of a quantum system through background matter in order to determine the conditions of validity required for a description in terms of an effective Hamiltonian. General scattering rate equations are obtained for coherent diffuse scattering. We find, as expected, that the diffuse scattering rate is small compared to the coherent scattering rate in a medium with low fluctuations allowing an effective Hamiltonian description. However, for a more turbulent background, it is still possible to have more significant contributions to the diffuse scattering which may affect the existing theory of neutrino flavor conversion (MSW effect).
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:QMM.55513 |
| Date | January 1994 |
| Creators | Michaud, Denis, 1970- |
| Contributors | Burgess, Clifford P. (advisor) |
| Publisher | McGill University |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Coverage | Master of Science (Department of Physics.) |
| Rights | All items in eScholarship@McGill are protected by copyright with all rights reserved unless otherwise indicated. |
| Relation | alephsysno: 001431087, proquestno: AAIMM00040, Theses scanned by UMI/ProQuest. |
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