本計畫將探討在極端條件(如高溫度、高密度、強耦合常數、強非平衡不穩定性及強外加場)下量子場的動力學性質。此項研究的動機為許多基本粒子物理、凝態物理、天文物理及宇宙論的前沿問題,都需要在極端條件影響下量子多粒子系統的一致性微觀描述中才能得到解答。這是理論物理與量子場論中一個跨領域的議題,對量子場非微擾性質的理解具有根本的重要性。我們將特別針對高溫度和高密度規範理論的集體激發、量子運動學及傳輸現象進行深入的探討。預期完成的研究成果在相對論性重離子碰撞實驗、中子星天文物理及早期宇宙論的現象學應用上將至為重要。我們亦預期本計畫將在其他需要理解量子場非微擾性質的物理領域產生深遠的影響。 The proposed research deals with the theoretical issues of the dynamics of quantum fields under extreme conditions (such as high temperature and/or high density, strong couplings, strongly out-of-equilibrium instabilities and strong external fields). This research is motivated by a wide variety of problems at the forefront of particle physics, condensed matter physics, astrophysics and cosmology that require a consistent microscopic description of quantum many-particle systems under the influence of extreme conditions. This research is interdisciplinary and of fundamental importance in understanding the nonperturbative nature of quantum fields. In particular, the collective excitations, quantum kinetics and transport phenomena in hot and dense gauge theories will be studied in detail under this proposal. Expected results are essential to phenomenological applications in relativistic heavy ion collision experiments, astrophysics of neutron stars and early universe cosmology. We also expect that the proposed research will have a broad impact in other areas of physics that require a nonperturbative understanding of quantum fields.