Unusual Representations of Blackbody Radiation

Explore unusual representations of blackbody radiation in this 25-minute conference talk by Stephen Barnett, presented at the Workshop on "Blackbody Radiation Induced Effects and Phenomena" held at the Erwin Schrödinger International Institute for Mathematics and Physics (ESI). Delve into alternative approaches to the conventional mixed-state representation of thermal fields, where each mode is typically described by a separate, maximum entropy mixed state using density operators. Discover two distinct perspectives: the pure-state representation known as thermofields, originally developed for quantum field theory applications, which proves particularly useful when dealing with continuous field descriptions; and a second approach more closely aligned with classical physics. Gain insights into these unconventional methods for understanding and working with blackbody radiation, offering potentially more convenient and physically enlightening interpretations of thermal fields.