Abstract:
The problem of quantum scalar field evolution after an instantaneous local perturbation (quench) is considered. A new approach to descriptions of a quench from an arbitrary initial state is developed in the framework of the Keldysh technique. This approach does not require the procedure of the analytical continuation, which can be ambiguous in some cases. The evolution of the energy density after local quench is calculated for a simple case, and its dependence on the interaction region width and the initial conditions is analyzed.