Quantum Kinetic Equilibrium

The quantum kinetic equations (QKEs) are quantum master equations that account for both coherent quantum mechanical evolution and kinetic evolution induced by scattering. We solved the QKEs for a simple two-state neutrino system in the hot and dense early universe where both neutrino flavor oscillation and scattering are important in the evolution of the neutrino states. We found that solutions to the QKEs point toward an approximate “equilibrium” solution where the quantum effects balance the kinetic effects. In this poster, we will assess the validity of this approximation.