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# Casimir densities for a spherical shell in the global monopole background

## 1 Introduction

The Casimir effect is one of the most interesting manifestations of the nontrivial properties of the vacuum state in quantum field theory. Since its first prediction by Casimir in 1948  this effect has been investigated for various cases of boundary geometries and different fields (see  and references therein). Historically, the investigation of the Casimir effect for a perfectly conducting spherical shell was motivated by the Casimir semiclassical model of an electron. It has been shown by Boyer  that the Casimir energy for the sphere is positive, implying a repulsive force. This result was later reconsidered by a number of authors . More recently new methods have been developed for this problem including direct mode summation techniques based on the zeta function regularization scheme . In Refs.  the Casimir effect is considered for a massless scalar field with the Dirichlet boundary condition on a spherical shell with false/true vacuum inside/outside the shell. Recently, the Casimir effect for spherical boundaries on de Sitter and anti de Sitter bulks is also investigated . In the investigations of the Casimir effect the calculation of the local densities of the vacuum characteristics is of special interest. In particular, these include the vacuum expectation values of the energy-momentum tensor. In addition to describing the physical structure of the quantum field at a given point, the energy-momentum tensor acts as the source of gravity in the Einstein equations. It therefore plays an important role in modeling a self-consistent dynamics involving the gravitational field . Investigation of the energy distribution inside a perfectly reflecting spherical shell was made in  in the case of QED and in  for QCD. The distributions of the other components for the energy-momentum tensor of the electromagnetic field inside as well as outside the shell, and in the region between two concentric spherical shells are investigated in Refs. . Recently, in Ref.  the vacuum expectation values of the energy-momentum tensor are evaluated for a massive scalar field with general curvature coupling parameter, satisfying the Robin boundary condition on spherically symmetric boundaries in $`D`$-dimensional space.

The Casimir effect can be viewed as a polarization of vacuum by boundary conditions. Another type of vacuum polarization arises in the case of external gravitational field. In this paper we study a situation when both types of sources for the polarization are present. Namely, we consider a global monopole spacetime with a concentric spherical shell. Topological defects have attracted a great deal of attention because of their relevance to a number of different areas ranging from condensed matter to structure formation (for a review see ). In the context of hot big bang cosmology, the unified theories of the fundamental interactions predict that the universe passes through a sequence of phase transitions. These phase transitions might have given rise to several kinds of topological defects depending on the nature of the symmetry that is broken . If a global SO(3) symmetry of a triplet scalar field is broken, the point like defects called global monopoles are believed to be formed. The simplified global monopole was introduced by Sokolov and Starobinsky . The gravitational effects of the global monopole were studied in Ref. , where a solution is presented which describes a global monopole at large radial distances. The quantum vacuum effects of the matter fields on the global monopole background have been considered in Refs. . The effects produced by the non-zero temperature are investigated as well . The zeta function and the Casimir energy for a spherical boundary in this background are calculated in .

In this paper the positive frequency Wightman function, the vacuum expectation values of the field square and energy-momentum tensor are investigated for a massive scalar field with general curvature coupling parameter $`\xi `$, satisfying the Robin boundary condition on a spherical shell in the $`D+1`$-dimensional spacetime of a point-like global monopole. As special cases they include the results for the Diriclet, Neumann, TM, and conformally invariant Hawking boundary conditions. To evaluate the corresponding bilinear field products we use the mode sum method in combination with the summation formulae from Ref.  (see also ). These formulae allow (i) to extract from vacuum expectation values the parts due to the global monopole background without boundaries, and (ii) to present the boundary induced parts in terms of exponentially convergent integrals involving the modified Bessel functions. We have organized the paper as follows. In the next section we consider the vacuum inside a sphere and derive formulae for the Wightman function, the expectation values of the field square, energy density and stresses on the global monopole background. The behavior of these quantities is investigated near the boundary, at the sphere centre and for small values of the parameter describing the solid angle deficit in the global monopole geometry. Section 3 is devoted to the vacuum expectation values for the region outside a sphere. Section 4 concludes the main results of the paper.

## 2 Wightman function, vacuum expectation values of the field square and energy-momentum tensor inside a spherical shell

### 2.1 Wightman function

Consider a real scalar field $`\phi `$ with curvature coupling parameter $`\xi `$ on a $`D+1`$-dimensional global monopole background. In the hyperspherical polar coordinates $`(r,\vartheta ,\varphi )(r,\theta _1,\theta _2,\mathrm{}\theta _n,\varphi )`$, $`n=D2`$, the corresponding line element has the form

$$ds^2=dt^2dr^2\sigma ^2r^2d\mathrm{\Omega }_D^2,$$
(1)
where $`d\mathrm{\Omega }_D^2`$ is the line element on the surface of the unit sphere in $`D`$-dimensional Euclidean space, the parameter $`\sigma `$ is smaller than unity and is related to the symmetry breaking energy scale in the theory. The solid angle corresponding to Eq. (1) is $`\sigma ^2S_D`$ with $`S_D=2\pi ^{D/2}/\mathrm{\Gamma }(D/2)`$ being the total area of the surface of the unit sphere in $`D`$-dimensional Euclidean space. This leads to the solid angle deficit $`(1\sigma ^2)S_D`$ in the spacetime given by line element (1). The field equation has the form

$$\left(_i^i+m^2+\xi R\right)\phi =0,$$
(2)
where $`R`$ is the scalar curvature for the background space-time, $`m`$ is the mass for the field quanta, $`_i`$ is the covariant derivative operator associated with the metric corresponding to line element (1). The values of the curvature coupling parameter $`\xi =0`$, and $`\xi =\xi _D`$ with $`\xi _D(D1)/4D`$ correspond to the minimal and conformal couplings, respectively. It is convenient for later use to write the corresponding metric energy-momentum tensor in the form

$$T_{ik}=_i\phi _k\phi +\left[\left(\xi \frac{1}{4}\right)g_{ik}_l^l\xi _i_k\xi R_{ik}\right]\phi ^2.$$
(3)
The nonzero components of the Ricci tensor and Ricci scalar for the metric corresponding to line element (1) are given by expressions

$$R_2^2=R_3^3=\mathrm{}=R_D^D=n\frac{\sigma ^21}{\sigma ^2r^2},R=n(n+1)\frac{\sigma ^21}{\sigma ^2r^2},$$
(4)
where the indices $`2,3,\mathrm{},D`$ correspond to the coordinates $`\theta _1,\theta _2,\mathrm{},\varphi `$ respectively, and we adopt the convention of Birrell and Davies  for the curvature tensor. Note that for $`\sigma 1`$ the geometry is singular at the origin (point-like monopole), $`r=0`$.

In this paper we are interested in the vacuum expectation values (VEVs) of the energy-momentum tensor (3) on background of the geometry described by (1), assuming that the field satisfies the Robin boundary condition

$$\left(A_1+B_1n^i_i\right)\phi (x)=0$$
(5)
on the sphere of radius $`a`$, concentric with monopole. Here $`A_1`$ and $`B_1`$ are constants, and $`n^i=(0,n^1,0,0)`$ is the unit normal to the sphere, $`n^1=1,1`$ for the interior and exterior regions respectively. The imposition of this boundary condition on the quantum field $`\phi (x)`$ leads to the modification of the spectrum for the zero-point fluctuations and results in the shift in VEVs for physical quantities. In particular, vacuum forces arise acting on constraining boundary. This is the familiar Casimir effect. By virtue of Eq. (3) for the VEV of the energy-momentum tensor we have

$$0|T_{ik}(x)|0=\underset{x^{}x}{lim}_i_k^{}0|\phi (x)\phi (x^{})|0+\left[\left(\xi \frac{1}{4}\right)g_{ik}_l^l\xi _i_k\xi R_{ik}\right]0|\phi ^2(x)|0,$$
(6)
where $`|0`$ is the amplitude for the corresponding vacuum state. Note that the expectation value $`0|\phi (x)\phi (x^{})|0G^+(x,x^{})`$ is known as a positive frequency Wightman function. To derive the expression for the regularized VEV of the field bilinear product we will use the mode summation method. By expanding the field operator over eigenfunctions and using the commutation rules one can see that

$$0|\phi (x)\phi (x^{})|0=\underset{\alpha }{}\phi _\alpha (x)\phi _\alpha ^{}(x^{}),$$
(7)
where $`\{\phi _\alpha (x),\phi _\alpha ^{}(x^{})\}`$ is a complete orthonormal set of positive and negative frequency solutions to the field equation with quantum numbers $`\alpha `$, satisfying boundary condition (5).

In the hyperspherical coordinates, for the region inside the sphere the complete set of solutions to Eq. (2) with scalar curvature from (4), has the form

$$\phi _\alpha (x)=\beta _\alpha r^{n/2}J_{\nu _l}(\lambda r)Y(m_k;\vartheta ,\varphi )e^{i\omega t},l=0,1,2,\mathrm{},$$
(8)
where $`m_k=(m_0l,m_1,\mathrm{},m_n)`$, and $`m_1,m_2,\mathrm{},m_n`$ are integers such that

$$0m_{n1}m_{n2}\mathrm{}m_1l,m_{n1}m_nm_{n1},$$
(9)
$`J_\nu (z)`$ is the Bessel function, and $`Y(m_k;\vartheta ,\varphi )`$ is the surface harmonic of degree $`l`$ (see , Section 11.2). In Eq. (8) we use the following notation

$`\nu _l`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{\sigma }}\left[\left(l+{\displaystyle \frac{n}{2}}\right)^2+(1\sigma ^2)n(n+1)\left(\xi \xi _{D1}\right)\right]^{1/2},`$ (10)
$`\lambda `$ $`=`$ $`\sqrt{\omega ^2m^2}.`$
In the following consideration we will assume that $`\nu _l^2`$ is non-negative. This corresponds to the restriction on the values of the curvature coupling parameter for $`n>0`$, given by the condition

$$\xi \frac{n}{4(n+1)(\sigma ^21)}.$$
(11)
Note that this condition is satisfied by the most important special cases of the minimal and conformal couplings. The coefficients $`\beta _\alpha `$ in Eq. (8) can be found from the normalization condition

$$\left|\phi _\alpha (x)\right|^2\sqrt{g}𝑑V=\frac{1}{2\omega },$$
(12)
where the integration goes over the region inside the sphere. Substituting eigenfunctions (8), and using the relation

$$\left|Y(m_k;\vartheta ,\varphi )\right|^2𝑑\mathrm{\Omega }=N(m_k)$$
(13)
(the explicit form for $`N(m_k)`$ is given in , Section 11.3, and will not be necessary for the following considerations in this paper) for the spherical harmonics and the value for the standard integral involving the square of the Bessel function, one finds

$$\beta _\alpha ^2=\frac{\lambda T_{\nu _l}(\lambda a)}{N(m_k)\omega a\sigma ^{D1}},$$
(14)
with the notation

$$T_\nu (z)=\frac{z}{(z^2\nu ^2)J_\nu ^2(z)+z^2J_\nu ^{}_{}{}^{}2(z)}.$$
(15)
From boundary condition (5) on the sphere surface for eigenfunctions (8) one sees that the possible values for the frequency have to be solutions to the following equation

$$AJ_{\nu _l}(z)+BzJ_{\nu _l}^{}(z)=0,z=\lambda a,A=A_1\frac{n}{2}B,B=\frac{n^1}{a}B_1,$$
(16)
where $`n^1=1`$ for the region inside the sphere. It is well known (see, e.g., ) that for real $`A`$, $`B`$, and $`\nu _l>1`$ all roots of this equation are simple and real, except the case $`A/B<\nu _l`$ when there are two purely imaginary zeros. In the following we will assume values of $`A/B`$ for which all roots are real, $`A/B\nu _l`$. In terms of the coefficients in (5), it is sufficient to require

$$\frac{A_1a}{B_1}\nu _0\frac{n}{2},\nu _0=\frac{n}{2}\left[1+4(\sigma ^21)\frac{n+1}{n}\xi \right]^{1/2}.$$
(17)
Note that this condition is satisfied for the most important special cases of Dirichlet scalar, Neumann scalar ($`A/B=1D/2`$) with the curvature coupling parameter $`\xi 0`$, and for a scalar field with the TM type boundary condition ($`A/B=D/21`$).

Let $`\lambda _{\nu _l,k},k=1,2,\mathrm{},`$ be the positive zeros of the function $`AJ_{\nu _l}(z)+BzJ_{\nu _l}^{}(z)`$, arranged in ascending order. The corresponding eigenfrequencies $`\omega =\omega _{\nu _l,k}`$ are related to these zeros as $`\omega _{\nu _l,k}=\sqrt{\lambda _{\nu _l,k}^2/a^2+m^2}`$. Substituting Eq. (8) into Eq. (7) and using the addition formula for the spherical harmonics (see , Section 11.4), one obtains

$`0|\phi (x)\phi (x^{})|0`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{(rr^{})^{n/2}}{naS_D\sigma ^{D1}}}{\displaystyle \underset{l=0}{\overset{\mathrm{}}{}}}(2l+n)C_l^{n/2}(\mathrm{cos}\theta )`$
$`\times {\displaystyle \underset{k=1}{\overset{\mathrm{}}{}}}{\displaystyle \frac{\lambda _{\nu _l,k}T_{\nu _l}(\lambda _{\nu _l,k})}{\sqrt{\lambda _{\nu _l,k}^2+m^2a^2}}}J_{\nu _l}(\lambda _{\nu _l,k}r/a)J_{\nu _l}(\lambda _{\nu _l,k}r^{}/a)e^{i\omega _{\nu _l,k}(t^{}t)},`$
where $`C_p^q(x)`$ is the Gegenbauer or ultraspherical polynomial of degree $`p`$ and order $`q`$, and $`\theta `$ is the angle between directions $`(\vartheta ,\varphi )`$ and $`(\vartheta ^{},\varphi ^{})`$. To sum over $`k`$ we will use the generalized Abel-Plana summation formula

$`2{\displaystyle \underset{k=1}{\overset{\mathrm{}}{}}}T_\nu (\lambda _{\nu ,k})f(\lambda _{\nu ,k})`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle _0^{\mathrm{}}}f(x)𝑑x+{\displaystyle \frac{\pi }{2}}\mathrm{Res}_{z=0}f(z){\displaystyle \frac{\overline{Y}_\nu (z)}{\overline{J}_\nu (z)}}`$ (19)
$``$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{\pi }}{\displaystyle _0^{\mathrm{}}}𝑑x{\displaystyle \frac{\overline{K}_\nu (x)}{\overline{I}_\nu (x)}}\left[e^{\nu \pi i}f(xe^{\pi i/2})+e^{\nu \pi i}f(xe^{\pi i/2})\right],`$
where $`I_\nu (x)`$ and $`K_\nu (x)`$ are the modified Bessel functions, and for a given function $`F(z)`$ we use the notation

$$\overline{F}(z)AF(z)+BzF^{}(z).$$
(20)
By taking in this formula $`\nu =1/2`$, $`A=1`$, $`B=0`$, as a particular case we receive the Abel-Plana formula . Formula (19) was applied previously to a number of Casimir problems for spherically  and cylindrically  symmetric boundaries on the Minkowski background, and for a wedge with and without circular outer boundary . Note that formula (19) can be generalized in the case of the existence of purely imaginary zeros for the function $`\overline{J}_\nu (z)`$ by adding the corresponding residue term and taking the principal value of the integral on the right (see Ref. ). As it has been mentioned earlier, in this paper we will assume values of $`A/B`$ for which all solutions to Eq. (16) are real. Applying to the sum over $`k`$ in Eq. (2.1) formula (19), the Wightman function can be presented in the form

$$0|\phi (x)\phi (x^{})|0=0_\mathrm{m}|\phi (x)\phi (x^{})|0_\mathrm{m}+\phi (x)\phi (x^{})_b,$$
(21)
where

$$0_\mathrm{m}|\phi (x)\phi (x^{})|0_\mathrm{m}=\frac{1}{2nS_D\sigma ^{D1}}\underset{l=0}{\overset{\mathrm{}}{}}\frac{2l+n}{(rr^{})^{n/2}}C_l^{n/2}(\mathrm{cos}\theta )_0^{\mathrm{}}𝑑z\frac{ze^{i\sqrt{z^2+m^2}(t^{}t)}}{\sqrt{z^2+m^2}}J_{\nu _l}(zr)J_{\nu _l}(zr^{}),$$
(22)
and

$`\phi (x)\phi (x^{})_b`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{\pi naS_D\sigma ^{D1}}}{\displaystyle \underset{l=0}{\overset{\mathrm{}}{}}}{\displaystyle \frac{2l+n}{(rr^{})^{n/2}}}C_l^{n/2}(\mathrm{cos}\theta )\times `$
$`{\displaystyle _{ma}^{\mathrm{}}}𝑑zz{\displaystyle \frac{\overline{K}_{\nu _l}(z)}{\overline{I}_{\nu _l}(z)}}{\displaystyle \frac{I_{\nu _l}(zr/a)I_{\nu _l}(zr^{}/a)}{\sqrt{z^2m^2a^2}}}\mathrm{cosh}\left[\sqrt{z^2/a^2m^2}(t^{}t)\right].`$
To obtain Eq. (2.1) we have used the result that the difference of the radicals is nonzero above the branch point only. The conditions for the formula (19) to be valid in the case of the sum over $`k`$ in Eq. (2.1) are satisfied if $`r+r^{}+|tt^{}|<2a`$. The contribution of the term (22) to the VEV does not depend on $`a`$, whereas the contribution of the term (2.1) tends to zero as $`a\mathrm{}`$. It follows from here that expression (22) is the Wightman function for the unbounded global monopole space with $`|0_\mathrm{m}`$ being the amplitude for the corresponding vacuum. This can be seen also by explicit evaluation of the mode sum using the eigenfunctions for the global monopole spacetime without a boundary. Note that for $`\sigma =1`$, $`\nu _l`$ is equal to $`l+1/2`$ and the sum over $`l`$ in Eq. (22) can be summarized using the Gegenbauer addition theorem for the Bessel function . Evaluating the remaining integral involving the Bessel function , we obtain the standard expression for the $`D+1`$-dimensional Minkowskian Wightman function. As we have seen, the application of the generalized Abel-Plana formula allows us to extract from the bilinear field product the contribution due to the unbounded monopole spacetime, and the term (2.1) can be interpreted as the part of the VEV induced by a spherical boundary. In the massless case by using the formula for the integral involving the Bessel functions, for the Wightman function (22) can be presented as

$$0_\mathrm{m}|\phi (x)\phi (x^{})|0_\mathrm{m}=\frac{1}{2\pi nS_D}\underset{l=0}{\overset{\mathrm{}}{}}\frac{(2l+n)C_l^{n/2}(\mathrm{cos}\theta )}{(\sigma ^2rr^{})^{(n+1)/2}}Q_{\nu _l1/2}\left(\frac{r^2+r^2(tt^{})^2+iϵ}{2rr^{}}\right),$$
(24)
where $`Q_{\nu _l}`$ is the Legendre function of second kind, $`ϵ>0`$ for $`t>t^{}`$, and $`ϵ<0`$ for $`t<t^{}`$. Note that similar expression for the Euclidean scalar Green function is derived in Ref.  for $`D=3`$ and in Ref.  for an arbitrary $`D`$. The corresponding VEVs of the energy-momentum tensor are investigated in Refs. .

### 2.2 VEV for the field square

The VEV of the field square is obtained computing the Wightman function in the coincidence limit $`x^{}x`$. In this limit expression (21) gives a divergent result and some renormalization procedure is needed. As we will see below for $`0<r<a`$ the divergences are contained in the first summand on the right of Eq. (21) only. Hence, the renormalization procedure for the local characteristics of the vacuum, such as field square and energy-momentum tensor, is the same as for the global monopole geometry without a boundary. This procedure is discussed in a number of papers (see ) and is a useful illustration for the general renormalization prescription on curved backgrounds (see, for instance, ). In accordance with this prescription, for the renormalization we must subtract from (22) the corresponding De Witt – Schwinger expansion involving the terms up to order $`D`$. For a massless field the renormalized value of the field square has the following general form

$$0_\mathrm{m}|\phi ^2(x)|0_\mathrm{m}_{\mathrm{ren}}=\frac{1}{r^{D1}}\left[A^{(D)}(\sigma ,\xi )+B^{(D)}(\sigma ,\xi )\mathrm{ln}(\mu r)\right],$$
(25)
where the arbitrary mass scale $`\mu `$ corresponds to the ambiguity in the renormalization procedure. Note that this ambiguity is absent for a spacetime of odd dimension and, hence, $`B^{(D)}=0`$ for even $`D`$. Because the dependence of the order of the Legendre function in Eq. (24) on the parameter $`\sigma `$ is not a simple one, it is not possible to obtain closed expression for the coefficients $`A^{(D)}`$ and $`B^{(D)}`$. For small values $`1\sigma ^2`$ approximate expressions are derived in Ref.  for $`D=4`$ and $`D=5`$. In this paper our main interest are the parts in the VEVs induced by the presence of a spherical shell and below we will concentrate on these quantities.

Using the relation

$$C_l^{n/2}(1)=\frac{\mathrm{\Gamma }(l+n)}{\mathrm{\Gamma }(n)l!},$$
(26)
for the corresponding boundary part in the VEV of the field square we get

$$\phi ^2(x)_b=\frac{1}{\pi ar^nS_D\sigma ^{D1}}\underset{l=0}{\overset{\mathrm{}}{}}D_l_{ma}^{\mathrm{}}𝑑z\frac{\overline{K}_{\nu _l}(z)}{\overline{I}_{\nu _l}(z)}\frac{zI_{\nu _l}^2(zr/a)}{\sqrt{z^2m^2a^2}},$$
(27)
where

$$D_l=(2l+D2)\frac{\mathrm{\Gamma }(l+D2)}{\mathrm{\Gamma }(D1)l!}$$
(28)
is the degeneracy of each angular mode with given $`l`$. From the well known properties of the modified Bessel functions it follows that in the case of a Dirichlet scalar this quantity is negative and for $`\xi 0`$ is a monotonic decreasing function on $`r`$. As it has been noted earlier, expression (27) is finite for all values $`0<r<a`$. For a given $`l`$ and large $`z`$ the subintegrand behaves as $`e^{2z(r/a1)}/z`$ and, hence, the integral converges when $`r<a`$. For large values $`l`$, introducing a new integration variable $`y=z/\nu _l`$ in the integral of Eq. (27) and using the uniform asymptotic expansions for the modified Bessel functions , it can be seen that to the leading order over $`l`$ the subintegrand multiplied by $`D_l`$ behaves as

$$l^n\frac{\mathrm{exp}\left\{2\nu _l\left[\eta (zr/a)\eta (z)\right]\right\}}{\sqrt{1+(zr/a)^2}},\eta (z)=\sqrt{1+z^2}+\mathrm{ln}\frac{z}{1+\sqrt{1+z^2}},$$
(29)
and, hence, the both integral and sum are convergent for $`r<a`$ and diverge at $`r=a`$. For the points near the sphere the leading term of the corresponding asymptotic expansion over $`1/(ar)`$ has the form

$$\phi ^2(x)_b\frac{(12\delta _{B0})\mathrm{\Gamma }\left(\frac{D1}{2}\right)}{(4\pi )^{(D+1)/2}(ar)^{D1}}.$$
(30)
This term does not depend on the mass and parameter $`\sigma `$ and is the same as that for a sphere on the Minkowski bulk. As the purely gravitational part (25) is finite for $`r=a`$, we see that near the sphere surface the VEV of the field square is dominated by the boundary induced part, Eq. (27).

In the limit $`r0`$ the main contribution into Eq. (27) comes from the $`l=0`$ summand with the leading term

$$\phi ^2(x)_b\frac{\mathrm{\Gamma }^2(\nu _0+1)}{2^{2\nu _0}\pi a^{D1}S_D\sigma ^{D1}}\left(\frac{r}{a}\right)^{2\nu _0n}_{ma}^{\mathrm{}}𝑑z\frac{z^{2\nu _0+1}}{\sqrt{z^2m^2a^2}}\frac{\overline{K}_{\nu _0}(z)}{\overline{I}_{\nu _0}(z)},r0,$$
(31)
where $`\nu _0`$ is given by formula (17). As a result the boundary induced VEV (27) is zero at the sphere centre for $`(\sigma ^21)\xi >0`$, non-zero constant for $`(\sigma ^21)\xi =0`$, and is infinite for $`(\sigma ^21)\xi <0`$. As it follows from expressions (25) and (31), for $`ra`$ the total VEV is dominated by the purely gravitational part.

Now we turn to the limit $`\sigma 1`$ for a fixed value $`r<a`$. To satisfy condition (11) we will assume that $`\xi 0`$. For $`\xi >0`$, from Eq. (10) one has $`\nu _l1`$, and after introducing in Eq. (27) a new integration variable $`y=z/\nu _l`$, we can replace the modified Bessel function by their uniform asymptotic expansions for large values of the order. The integral over $`y`$ can be estimated by using the Laplace method. The main contribution to the sum over $`l`$ comes from the summand with $`l=0`$, and to the leading order we receive

$$\phi ^2(x)_b\frac{(12\delta _{B0})\mathrm{exp}\left[2\stackrel{~}{\nu }\mathrm{ln}(a/r)\right]}{(8\pi \stackrel{~}{\nu })^{1/2}r^nS_D\sigma ^{D1}\sqrt{a^2r^2}},\stackrel{~}{\nu }=\frac{1}{\sigma }\sqrt{n(n+1)\xi },\sigma 1.$$
(32)
For $`\xi =0`$ and $`\sigma 1`$ for the terms with $`l0`$ one has $`\nu _l1`$. The corresponding contribution can be estimated by the way similar to that in the previous case. This contribution is exponentially small. For the summand with $`l=0`$ to the leading order over $`\sigma `$ we have $`\nu _l=n/2`$ and, hence,

$$\phi ^2(x)_b\frac{1}{\pi ar^nS_D\sigma ^{D1}}_{ma}^{\mathrm{}}𝑑z\frac{\overline{K}_{n/2}(z)}{\overline{I}_{n/2}(z)}\frac{zI_{n/2}^2(zr/a)}{\sqrt{z^2m^2a^2}},\xi =0,\sigma 1.$$
(33)
Note that for odd values $`n`$ the modified Bessel functions in this formula are expressed via the elementary functions. In Fig. 1 (left panel) we have plotted the dependence of the boundary induced VEV (27) on $`r/a`$ for the region inside the sphere in the case of a conformally coupled ($`\xi =\xi _D`$) massless Dirichlet scalar in $`D=3`$ spatial dimensions. The separate curves correspond to the values $`\sigma =1`$ (a), $`\sigma =0.5`$ (b), $`\sigma =0.2`$ (c).

### 2.3 Vacuum energy-momentum tensor inside a sphere

Substituting the Wightman function (21) with expressions (22) and (2.1) into Eq. (6), for the VEV of the energy-momentum tensor inside a spherical shell one finds

$$0|T_i^k|0=\mathrm{diag}(\epsilon ,p,p_{},\mathrm{},p_{}),$$
(34)
where the vacuum energy density $`\epsilon `$ and the effective pressures in radial, $`p`$, and azimuthal, $`p_{}`$, directions are functions of the radial coordinate only. Similar to the Wightman function, the components of the vacuum energy-momentum tensor can be presented in the form

$$q=q_m+q_b,q=\epsilon ,p,p_{},$$
(35)
where $`q_m`$ are the corresponding quantities for the monopole geometry when the boundary is absent, and quantities $`q_b`$ are induced by the presence of the spherical shell. As a consequence of the continuity equation $`_k0|T_i^k0=0`$, these functions are related by the equation

$$r\frac{dp_i}{dr}+(D1)(p_ip_i)=0,i=m,b.$$
(36)
For massless fields the VEV of the energy-momentum tensor for the global monopole geometry without boundaries are investigated in Refs. . The corresponding renormalized components have the structure similar to that given in Eq. (25) for the field square:

$$q_m=\frac{1}{r^{D+1}}\left[q_m^{(1)}+q_m^{(2)}\mathrm{ln}(\mu r)\right],$$
(37)
where the coefficients $`q_m^{(1)}`$, $`q_m^{(2)}`$ depend only on the parameters $`\sigma `$ and $`\xi `$, and $`q_m^{(2)}=0`$ in even dimensions $`D`$. From equation (36) the following relations between these coefficients are obtained

$$p_m^{(1)}=\frac{D1}{2}p_m^{(1)}+\frac{1}{2}p_m^{(2)},p_m^{(2)}=\frac{D1}{2}p_m^{(2)}.$$
(38)
In particular, for conformally coupled fields all coefficients $`q_m^{(1)}`$, $`q_m^{(2)}`$ can be expressed via $`\epsilon _m^{(1)}`$, $`\epsilon _m^{(2)}`$ using the trace anomaly.

From Eqs. (6), (2.1), and (27) for the boundary induced parts of the energy-momentum tensor components one obtains

$$q_b(a,r)=\frac{1}{2\pi a^3r^nS_D\sigma ^{D1}}\underset{l=0}{\overset{\mathrm{}}{}}D_l_{ma}^{\mathrm{}}𝑑zz^3\frac{\overline{K}_{\nu _l}(z)}{\overline{I}_{\nu _l}(z)}\frac{F_{\nu _l}^{(q)}\left[I_{\nu _l}(zr/a)\right]}{\sqrt{z^2m^2a^2}},r<a,$$
(39)
where for a given function $`f(y)`$ we have introduced the notations

$`F_{\nu _l}^{(\epsilon )}\left[f(y)\right]`$ $`=`$ $`(14\xi )\left[f^{}_{}{}^{}2(y){\displaystyle \frac{n}{y}}f(y)f^{}(y)+\left({\displaystyle \frac{\nu _l^2}{y^2}}{\displaystyle \frac{1+4\xi 2(mr/y)^2}{14\xi }}\right)f^2(y)\right]`$ (40)
$`F_{\nu _l}^{(p)}\left[f(y)\right]`$ $`=`$ $`f^{}_{}{}^{}2(y)+{\displaystyle \frac{\stackrel{~}{\xi }}{y}}f(y)f^{}(y)\left(1+{\displaystyle \frac{\nu _l^2+\stackrel{~}{\xi }n/2}{y^2}}\right)f^2(y),\stackrel{~}{\xi }=4(n+1)\xi n`$ (41)
$`F_{\nu _l}^{(p_{})}\left[f(y)\right]`$ $`=`$ $`(4\xi 1)f^{}_{}{}^{}2(y){\displaystyle \frac{\stackrel{~}{\xi }}{y}}f(y)f^{}(y)+\left[4\xi 1+{\displaystyle \frac{\nu _l^2(1+\stackrel{~}{\xi })+\stackrel{~}{\xi }n/2}{(n+1)y^2}}\right]f^2(y).`$ (42)
It can be seen that components (39) satisfy Eq. (36) and are finite for $`0<r<a`$.

In the case $`D=1`$ the angular part in line element (1) is absent and we obtain VEVs for the one – dimensional segment $`axa`$. In this case $`0_\mathrm{m}|T_i^k|0_\mathrm{m}_{\mathrm{ren}}=0`$ and the boundary part remains only. Due to the gamma function in the denominator of the expression for $`D_l`$ in Eq. (28), now the only nonzero coefficients are $`D_0=D_1=1`$. Using the standard expressions for the functions $`I_{\pm 1/2}(z)`$ and $`K_{\pm 1/2}(z)`$ we obtain the formulae for the vacuum energy-momentum tensor given in Refs. . Note that in this case the vacuum stresses are uniform and do not depend on the parameter $`\xi `$. For $`D=2`$ and $`r0`$ the line element (1) corresponds to the flat background spacetime and coincides with the $`2D`$ cosmic string geometry. Note that in this case $`n=0`$ and from Eq. (10) one has $`\nu _l=l/\sigma `$.

At the sphere center the main contribution to the boundary induced VEV (39) comes from the summands with $`l=0`$ and one has

$$q_b(a,r)\frac{(2\nu _0n)r^{2\nu _0n2}f_0^{(q)}}{(2a)^{2\nu _0+1}\pi S_D\sigma ^{D1}\mathrm{\Gamma }^2(\nu _0+1)}_{ma}^{\mathrm{}}𝑑z\frac{z^{2\nu _0+1}}{\sqrt{z^2m^2a^2}}\frac{\overline{K}_{\nu _0}(z)}{\overline{I}_{\nu _0}(z)},r0,$$
(43)
where the following notations are introduced

$$f_0^{(\epsilon )}=(14\xi )\nu _0,f_0^{(p)}=\frac{\stackrel{~}{\xi }}{2},f_0^{(p_{})}=\frac{\nu _01/2}{D1}\stackrel{~}{\xi }.$$
(44)
It follows from Eq. (43) that the boundary induced components are zero at the sphere centre for $`n\xi (\sigma ^21)>1`$, are non-zero constants for $`n\xi (\sigma ^21)=1`$, and are infinite otherwise. These singularities appear because the geometrical characteristics of global monopole spacetime are divergent at the origin. However, note that the corresponding contribution to the total energy of the vacuum inside a sphere coming from $`\epsilon _b`$ is finite due to the factor $`r^{D1}`$ in the volume element. Comparing expressions (37) and (43) we conclude that near the centre the vacuum energy-momentum tensor is dominated by the purely gravitational part.

Expectation values (39) diverge at the sphere surface, $`ra`$. These divergencies are well-known in quantum field theory with boundaries and are investigated for various types of boundary geometries. For the problem under consideration the corresponding asymptotic behavior can be found using the uniform asymptotic expansions for the modified Bessel functions, and the leading terms are determined by the relations

$$p_b\epsilon _b\frac{Dap_b}{(D1)(ar)}\frac{D\mathrm{\Gamma }((D+1)/2)(\xi \xi _D)}{2^D\pi ^{(D+1)/2}(ar)^{D+1}}\left(12\delta _{B0}\right).$$
(45)
These terms do not depend on mass and parameter $`\sigma `$, and are the same as for a spherical shell in the Minkowski bulk (see, for instance, ). For a conformally coupled scalar the coefficients for the leading terms are zero and $`\epsilon ,p_{}(ar)^D`$, $`p(ar)^{1D}`$. In general, asymptotic series can be developed in powers of the distance from the boundary. The corresponding subleading coefficients will depend on the mass, Robin coefficient, and parameter $`\sigma `$. Due to surface divergencies near the sphere surface the total vacuum energy-momentum tensor is dominated by the boundary induced parts $`q_b`$.

Now let us consider the VEVs of the energy-momentum tensor in the limit $`\sigma 1`$ for a fixed $`r<a`$. For $`\xi >0`$ by the calculations similar to those given above for the field square, for the corresponding boundary parts one receives

$$q_b(a,r)\frac{(12\delta _{B0})\stackrel{~}{\nu }^{3/2}\mathrm{exp}\left[2\stackrel{~}{\nu }\mathrm{ln}(a/r)\right]}{(8\pi )^{1/2}S_D\sigma ^{D1}r^D\sqrt{a^2r^2}}f_1^{(q)},$$
(46)
where $`\stackrel{~}{\nu }`$ is defined in Eq. (32), and

$$f_1^{(\epsilon )}=14\xi ,f_1^{(p)}=\frac{\stackrel{~}{\xi }}{2\stackrel{~}{\nu }},f_1^{(p_{})}=\frac{\stackrel{~}{\xi }}{D1}.$$
(47)
Note that in this case the boundary induced vacuum stresses are strongly anisotropic: $`p_b/p_b\sigma 1`$. For a minimally coupled scalar , $`\xi =0`$, the leading term of the asymptotic expansion over $`\sigma `$ comes from the $`l=0`$ summand in Eq. (39) with $`\nu _l=n/2`$. This term behaves as $`\sigma ^{1D}`$. In Fig. 2 (left panel) we have presented the quantities $`\epsilon _b`$, $`p_b`$, $`p_b`$ inside a spherical shell as functions on $`r/a`$ in the case of a conformally coupled massless $`D=3`$ Dirichlet scalar on background of the global monopole with $`\sigma =0.5`$. Note that for these values of parameters $`n\xi (\sigma ^21)<1`$, and the vacuum energy-momentum tensor components are infinite at the sphere centre.

## 3 Vacuum densities outside a sphere

To obtain the VEV for the energy-momentum tensor outside a sphere we consider first the scalar vacuum in the layer between two concentric spheres with radii $`a`$ and $`b`$, $`a<b`$. The boundary conditions on these surfaces we will take in the form

$$\left(A_1+B_1\frac{}{r}\right)\phi (x)=0,r=a,b.$$
(48)
The corresponding eigenfunctions can be obtained from Eq. (8) with the replacement

$$J_{\nu _l}(\lambda r)g_{\nu _l}(\lambda a,\lambda r)J_{\nu _l}(\lambda r)\overline{Y}_{\nu _l}(\lambda a)\overline{J}_{\nu _l}(\lambda a)Y_{\nu _l}(\lambda r),$$
(49)
where $`Y_{\nu _l}(z)`$ is the Neumann function, and the functions with overbars are defined in accordance with Eq. (20). Note that now in the definition of the coefficients in formula (16) we have to take $`n^1=1`$. The functions chosen in this way satisfy the boundary condition on the sphere $`r=a`$. From the boundary condition on $`r=b`$ one obtains that the corresponding eigenmodes are solutions to the equation

$$C_{\nu _l}^{ab}(\eta ,\lambda a)\overline{J}_{\nu _l}(\lambda a)\overline{Y}_{\nu _l}^{(b)}(\lambda b)\overline{J}_{\nu _l}^{(b)}(\lambda b)\overline{Y}_{\nu _l}(\lambda a)=0,\eta =b/a,$$
(50)
with the notation

$$\overline{F}^{(b)}(z)=A_bF(z)+B_bzF^{}(z),A_b=A_1\frac{B_1n}{2b},B_b=\frac{B_1}{b},$$
(51)
for a given function $`F(z)`$. In Appendix A we show that for large values $`\eta `$ all roots to Eq. (50) are real. As we are interested in the VEVs for the region outside a single sphere, obtained in the limit $`b\mathrm{}`$, this is the case for our consideration below. Let $`\gamma _{\nu _l,k}=\lambda a`$ , $`k=1,2,\mathrm{}`$ be the corresponding positive roots, arranged in ascending order. The coefficients $`\beta _\alpha `$ are determined from the normalization condition (14), where now the integration goes over the region between the spheres, $`arb`$. Using the standard formula for integrals involving the product of any two cylinder functions one obtains

$$\beta _\alpha ^2=\frac{\pi ^2\lambda }{4N(m_k)\omega a\sigma ^{D1}}T_{\nu _l}^{ab}(\eta ,\lambda a),$$
(52)
where $`N(m_k)`$ comes from the normalization integral (13) and we use the notation

$$T_{\nu _l}^{ab}(\eta ,z)=z\left\{\frac{\overline{J}_{\nu _l}^2(z)}{\overline{J}_{\nu _l}^2(\eta z)}\left[A_b^2+B_b^2(\eta ^2z^2\nu _l^2)\right]A^2B^2(z^2\nu _l^2)\right\}^1,$$
(53)
with constants $`A`$, $`B`$, $`A_b`$, $`B_b`$ defined in (16) and (51).

Substituting the eigenfunctions into the mode sum (7) and using the addition formula for the spherical harmonics, the expectation value of the field product is presented in the form

$$0|\phi (x)\phi (x^{})|0=\frac{\pi ^2(rr^{})^{n/2}}{4naS_D\sigma ^{D1}}\underset{l=0}{\overset{\mathrm{}}{}}(2l+n)C_l^{n/2}(\mathrm{cos}\theta )\underset{k=1}{\overset{\mathrm{}}{}}h(\gamma _{\nu _l,k})T_{\nu _l}^{ab}(\eta ,\gamma _{\nu _l,k}),$$
(54)
with the function

$$h(z)=\frac{ze^{i\sqrt{z^2/a^2+m^2}(t^{}t)}}{\sqrt{z^2+m^2a^2}}g_{\nu _l}(z,zr/a)g_{\nu _l}(z,zr^{}/a).$$
(55)
To sum over $`k`$ we will use the summation formula

$`{\displaystyle \frac{\pi ^2}{2}}{\displaystyle \underset{k=1}{\overset{\mathrm{}}{}}}h(\gamma _{\nu ,k})T_\nu ^{ab}(\eta ,\gamma _{\nu ,k})`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle _0^{\mathrm{}}}{\displaystyle \frac{h(x)dx}{\overline{J}_\nu ^2(x)+\overline{Y}_\nu ^2(x)}}r_\nu [h(z)]`$
$`{\displaystyle \frac{\pi }{4}}{\displaystyle _0^{\mathrm{}}}{\displaystyle \frac{\overline{K}_\nu ^{(b)}(\eta x)}{\overline{K}_\nu (x)}}{\displaystyle \frac{\left[h(xe^{\pi i/2})+h(xe^{\pi i/2})\right]dx}{\overline{K}_\nu (x)\overline{I}_\nu ^{(b)}(\eta x)\overline{K}_\nu ^{(b)}(\eta x)\overline{I}_\nu (x)}},`$
where we have assumed that all zeros for the function (50) are real. In this formula the term

$$r_\nu [h(z)]=\pi \underset{k,s=1,2}{}\mathrm{Res}_{z=z_{\nu ,k}^{(s)}}\left[\frac{\overline{H}_\nu ^{(sb)}(\eta z)h(z)}{\overline{H}_\nu ^{(s)}(z)C_\nu ^{ab}(\eta ,z)}\right]=\pi i\underset{k,s=1,2}{}\frac{(1)^{s+1}h(z_{\nu ,k}^{(s)})}{\overline{H}_\nu ^{(s)^{}}(z_{\nu ,k}^{(s)})\overline{J}_\nu (z_{\nu ,k}^{(s)})}$$
(57)
comes from the residues at the possible zeros $`z=z_{\nu ,k}^{(s)}`$ of the function $`\overline{H}_\nu ^{(s)}(z)`$, $`s=1,2`$, with $`0<\mathrm{arg}z_{\nu ,k}^{(1)}<\pi /2`$, $`z_{\nu ,k}^{(2)}=z_{\nu ,k}^{(1)}`$. Here and below $`H_\nu ^{(s)}(z)`$, $`s=1,2`$ are the Hankel functions. Note that, as we have shown in Appendix A, under the condition (17) the function $`\overline{K}_\nu (z)`$ has no real zeros and, hence, the function $`\overline{H}_\nu ^{(s)}(z)`$ has no purely imaginary zeros. In the case of function (55) the corresponding conditions for (3) are satisfied if $`r+r^{}+|tt^{}|<2b`$. Note that this is the case in the coincidence limit for the region under consideration. Applying to the sum over $`k`$ in Eq. (54) formula (3), for the corresponding Wightman function one obtains

$$0|\phi (x)\phi (x^{})|0=\frac{1}{2naS_D\sigma ^{D1}}\underset{l=0}{\overset{\mathrm{}}{}}\frac{2l+n}{(rr^{})^{n/2}}C_l^{n/2}(\mathrm{cos}\theta )\{_0^{\mathrm{}}\frac{h(z)dz}{\overline{J}_{\nu _l}^2(z)+\overline{Y}_{\nu _l}^2(z)}r_{\nu _l}[h(z)]$$
(58)
$$\frac{2}{\pi }_{ma}^{\mathrm{}}\frac{zdz}{\sqrt{z^2a^2m^2}}\frac{\overline{K}_{\nu _l}^{(b)}(\eta z)}{\overline{K}_{\nu _l}(z)}\frac{G_{\nu _l}(z,zr/a)G_{\nu _l}(z,zr^{}/a)}{\overline{K}_{\nu _l}(z)\overline{I}_{\nu _l}^{(b)}(\eta z)\overline{K}_{\nu _l}^{(b)}(\eta z)\overline{I}_{\nu _l}(z)}\mathrm{cosh}\left[\sqrt{z^2/a^2m^2}(t^{}t)\right]\},$$

where we have introduced notation

$$G_\nu (z,y)=I_\nu (y)\overline{K}_\nu (z)\overline{I}_\nu (z)K_\nu (y),$$
(59)
with the modified Bessel functions.

To obtain the Wightman function outside a single sphere on background of the global monopole geometry, let us consider the limit $`b\mathrm{}`$. In this limit the second integral on the right of Eq. (58) tends to zero (for large values of the ratio $`b/a`$ the subintegrand is proportional to $`e^{2bz/a}`$), whereas the first integral and the term $`r_{\nu _l}[h(z)]`$ do not depend on $`b`$. It follows from here that the quantity

$`0|\phi (x)\phi (x^{})|0`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{2naS_D\sigma ^{D1}}}{\displaystyle \underset{l=0}{\overset{\mathrm{}}{}}}{\displaystyle \frac{2l+n}{(rr^{})^{n/2}}}C_l^{n/2}(\mathrm{cos}\theta )`$
$`\times `$ $`\left\{{\displaystyle _0^{\mathrm{}}}{\displaystyle \frac{zdz}{\sqrt{z^2+m^2a^2}}}{\displaystyle \frac{g_{\nu _l}(z,zr/a)g_{\nu _l}(z,zr^{}/a)}{\overline{J}_{\nu _l}^2(z)+\overline{Y}_{\nu _l}^2(z)}}e^{i\sqrt{z^2/a^2+m^2}(t^{}t)}r_{\nu _l}[h(z)]\right\}`$
is the Wightman function for the exterior region of a single sphere with radius $`a`$. To find the boundary induced VEVs we have to subtract the corresponding part for the unbounded monopole geometry which, as we saw in previous section, can be presented in the form (22). Using the relation

$$\frac{g_\nu (z,zr/a)g_\nu (z,zr^{}/a)}{\overline{J}_\nu ^2(z)+\overline{Y}_\nu ^2(z)}J_\nu (zr/a)J_\nu (zr^{}/a)=\frac{1}{2}\underset{s=1}{\overset{2}{}}\frac{\overline{J}_\nu (z)}{\overline{H}_\nu ^{(s)}(z)}H_\nu ^{(s)}(zr/a)H_\nu ^{(s)}(zr^{}/a)$$
(61)
one obtains

$`0|\phi (x)\phi (x^{})|00_\mathrm{m}|\phi (x)\phi (x^{})|0_\mathrm{m}={\displaystyle \frac{1}{4nS_D\sigma ^{D1}}}{\displaystyle \underset{l=0}{\overset{\mathrm{}}{}}}{\displaystyle \frac{2l+n}{(rr^{})^{n/2}}}C_l^{n/2}(\mathrm{cos}\theta )`$
$`\times \left\{{\displaystyle \underset{s=1}{\overset{2}{}}}{\displaystyle _0^{\mathrm{}}}𝑑zz{\displaystyle \frac{e^{i\sqrt{z^2+m^2}(t^{}t)}}{\sqrt{z^2+m^2}}}{\displaystyle \frac{\overline{J}_{\nu _l}(za)}{\overline{H}_{\nu _l}^{(s)}(za)}}H_{\nu _l}^{(s)}(zr)H_{\nu _l}^{(s)}(zr^{})+{\displaystyle \frac{2}{a}}r_{\nu _l}[h(z)]\right\}.`$ (62)
In this formula we can rotate the integration contour on the right by the angle $`\pi /2`$ for $`s=1`$ and by the angle $`\pi /2`$ for $`s=2`$. It can be easily seen that the residue terms coming from the poles at the zeros of the functions $`\overline{H}_\nu ^{(s)}(za)`$ cancel the second summand in the figure braces in Eq. (62). Further, the integrals over the segments $`(0,ima)`$ and $`(0,ima)`$ of the imaginary axis cancel out and after introducing the Bessel modified functions one obtains

$`\phi (x)\phi (x^{})_b`$ $`=`$ $`{\displaystyle \frac{1}{\pi naS_D\sigma ^{D1}}}{\displaystyle \underset{l=0}{\overset{\mathrm{}}{}}}{\displaystyle \frac{2l+n}{(rr^{})^{n/2}}}C_l^{n/2}(\mathrm{cos}\theta )`$
$`\times `$ $`{\displaystyle _{ma}^{\mathrm{}}}𝑑zz{\displaystyle \frac{\overline{I}_{\nu _l}(z)}{\overline{K}_{\nu _l}(z)}}{\displaystyle \frac{K_{\nu _l}(zr/a)K_{\nu _l}(zr^{}/a)}{\sqrt{z^2m^2a^2}}}\mathrm{cosh}\left[\sqrt{z^2/a^2m^2}(t^{}t)\right].`$
This formula differs from the one for the interior region by the replacements $`I_{\nu _l}K_{\nu _l}`$, $`K_{\nu _l}I_{\nu _l}`$. For the boundary induced VEV of the field square in the outside region this leads to the formula

$$\phi ^2(x)_b=\frac{1}{\pi ar^nS_D\sigma ^{D1}}\underset{l=0}{\overset{\mathrm{}}{}}D_l_{ma}^{\mathrm{}}𝑑zz\frac{\overline{I}_{\nu _l}(z)}{\overline{K}_{\nu _l}(z)}\frac{K_{\nu _l}^2(zr/a)}{\sqrt{z^2m^2a^2}},$$
(64)
where $`D_l`$ is defined in accord with Eq. (28). This expression is finite for all values $`r>a`$ and diverges at the sphere surface. The leading term in the corresponding asymptotic expansion over $`ra`$ has the form (45) with replacement $`arra`$. In the case of the Dirichlet boundary condition $`\phi ^2(x)_b`$ is monotonic increasing negative function on $`r`$.

For the case of a massless scalar the asymptotic behavior of boundary part (64) at large distances from the sphere can be obtained by introducing a new integration variable $`y=zr/a`$ and expanding the subintegrand in terms of $`a/r`$. The leading contribution for the summand with a given $`l`$ has an order $`(a/r)^{2\nu _l+D1}`$ (assuming that $`A\nu _lB`$) and the main contribution comes from the $`l=0`$ term. Using the value for the standard integral involving the product of the functions $`K_\nu `$ , the leading term for the asymptotic expansion over $`a/r`$ can be presented in the form

$$\phi ^2(x)_b\frac{\nu _0\mathrm{\Gamma }(2\nu _0+1/2)\mathrm{\Gamma }(\nu _0+1/2)}{2^{2\nu _0+1}(a\sigma )^{D1}S_D\mathrm{\Gamma }^3(\nu _0+1)}\frac{A+B\nu _0}{AB\nu _0}\left(\frac{a}{r}\right)^{2\nu _0+D1}.$$
(65)
Now comparing this with Eq. (37), we see that for $`\nu _0>0`$ the VEV of the field square at large distances from the sphere is dominated by the purely gravitational part. In the limit $`\sigma 1`$ the leading terms in the asymptotic expansion of Eq. (64) are derived by the way similar to that used above for the inside region. For $`\xi >0`$ the corresponding formula is obtained from Eq. (32) with replacements $`a^2r^2r^2a^2`$ under the square root and $`a/rr/a`$ under the $`\mathrm{ln}`$ function. In the case $`\xi =0`$ in Eq. (33) we have to make replacements $`I_{\nu _l}K_{\nu _l}`$, $`K_{\nu _l}I_{\nu _l}`$. In the right panel of Fig. 1 we have presented the dependence of the boundary induced VEV (64) on $`r/a`$ for the region outside the sphere in the case of a conformally coupled ($`\xi =\xi _D`$) massless Dirichlet scalar in $`D=3`$ spatial dimensions. The curves correspond to the values $`\sigma =1`$ (a), $`\sigma =0.5`$ (b), $`\sigma =0.2`$ (c).

As in the interior case, the vacuum energy-momentum tensor is diagonal and the corresponding components can be presented in the form of a sum of purely gravitational and boundary parts, Eq. (35). The parts of these components induced by the presence of a spherical shell are given by formulae

$$q_b(a,r)=\frac{1}{2\pi a^3r^nS_D\sigma ^{D1}}\underset{l=0}{\overset{\mathrm{}}{}}D_l_{ma}^{\mathrm{}}𝑑zz^3\frac{\overline{I}_{\nu _l}(z)}{\overline{K}_{\nu _l}(z)}\frac{F_{\nu _l}^{(q)}\left[K_{\nu _l}(zr/a)\right]}{\sqrt{z^2m^2a^2}},q=\epsilon ,p,p_{},r>a,$$
(66)
where the functions $`F_{\nu _l}^{(q)}\left[f(y)\right]`$ are given by relations (40), (41) and (42). As for the interior components, the quantities (66) diverge at the sphere surface, $`r=a`$. The leading terms of the asymptotic expansions are determined by same formulae (45) with the replacement $`arra`$. When $`D=1`$ from Eq. (66) we obtain the expectation values for the one dimensional semi-infinite region $`r>a`$, given in Refs. .

For large distances from the sphere, $`ra`$, the main contribution into the VEV of the energy-momentum tensor comes from the $`l=0`$ summand. The leading terms of the asymptotic expansions have the form

$$q_b\frac{2^{2\nu _0}a^{D1}\sigma ^{1D}}{\pi \nu _0S_D\mathrm{\Gamma }^2(\nu _0)}\frac{A+B\nu _0}{AB\nu _0}\left(\frac{a}{r}\right)^{2\nu _0+D+1}_0^{\mathrm{}}𝑑zz^{2\nu _0+2}F_{\nu _0}^{(q)}[K_{\nu _0}(z)],$$
(67)
where $`\nu _0`$ is determined by formula (17). Note that the integrals in this formula can be evaluated using the value for the integrals involving the product of the functions $`K_\nu `$ given in Ref. . As we see, for $`\nu _0>0`$ and for large distances from the sphere the vacuum energy-momentum tensor is dominated by the purely gravitational part. In Fig. 2 (right panel) we have presented the sphere induced quantities $`\epsilon _b`$, $`p_b`$, $`p_b`$ for the region outside a spherical shell as functions on $`r/a`$ in the case of a conformally coupled massless $`D=3`$ Dirichlet scalar field on background of the global monopole with the solid angle deficit $`\sigma =0.5`$.

## 4 Conclusion

In the present paper we have investigated the Casimir densities induced by a spherical shell on background of the $`D+1`$-dimensional global monopole spacetime described by the metric (1). The case of a massive scalar field with general curvature coupling parameter and satisfying the Robin boundary condition on the sphere is considered. All calculations are made at zero temperature and we assume that the boundary conditions are frequency independent. The latter means no dispersive effects are taken into account. To obtain the expectation values for the energy-momentum tensor we first construct the positive frequency Wightmann function (note that the Wightmann function is also important in considerations of the response of a particle detector at a given state of motion ). The application of the generalized Abel-Plana formula to the mode sum over zeros of the corresponding combinations of the cylinder functions allows us to extract the part due to the global monopole geometry without boundaries and to present the sphere induced part in terms of integrals which are exponentially convergent in the coincidence limit at any strictly interior or exterior points. The polarization of the scalar vacuum by the global monopole without boundaries is investigated in a number of previous papers , and our main interest in this paper are the sphere induced parts for the VEVs (Casimir densities). The expectation values for the energy-momentum tensor are obtained by applying on the corresponding Wightman function a certain second-order differential operator and taking the coincidence limit. These quantities diverge as the boundary is approached. Surface divergences are well known in quantum field theory with boundaries and are investigated near an arbitrary shaped smooth boundary. They lead to divergent global quantities, such as the total energy or vacuum forces acting on the sphere and additional renormalization procedure is needed. The total Casimir energy for a spherical shell on the global monopole background is investigated in Refs.  using the zeta function regularization method.

The boundary induced expectation values of the field square and energy-momentum tensor for the region inside a spherical shell are given by formulae (27) and (39) respectively. These expressions are finite at interior points and diverge on the sphere surface. The leading term in the corresponding asymptotic expansions is the same as for a sphere in the Minkowski bulk and is zero for a conformally coupled scalar. The coefficients for the subleading asymptotic terms will depend on the boundary curvature, Robin coefficient, mass and the parameter $`\sigma `$ describing the solid angle deficit. In section 3 to deal with discrete modes, first we consider the scalar vacuum in the spherical layer between two surfaces. The quantities characterizing the vacuum outside a single sphere are obtained from this case in the limit when the radius of the outer sphere tends to infinity. Subtracting the parts corresponding to the space without boundaries, for the boundary induced parts of the Wightman function and vacuum densities we derive formulae (3), (64) and (66). They differ from the ones for the interior region by the replacements $`I_{\nu _l}K_{\nu _l}`$, $`K_{\nu _l}I_{\nu _l}`$. Near the sphere centre and at large distances from the sphere the VEVs for the field square and energy-momentum tensor are dominated by the purely gravitational parts corresponding to the monopole geometry without boundaries. For the points near the sphere surface the boundary induced parts in the VEVs dominate. We have also investigated the VEVs in the limit of small values for the parameter $`\sigma `$, describing the solid angle deficit, $`\sigma 1`$. In this limit, corresponding to strong gravitational fields, for $`\xi >0`$ the boundary induced parts behave as $`\phi ^2_b\sigma ^{3/2D}\mathrm{exp}(\gamma /\sigma )`$ and $`\epsilon _bp_bp_b/\sigma \sigma ^{D1/2}\mathrm{exp}(\gamma /\sigma )`$, with $`\gamma =2\sqrt{n(n+1)\xi }|\mathrm{ln}(a/r)|`$, and the boundary induced stresses are strongly anisotropic. For a minimally coupled scalar ($`\xi =0`$) and $`\sigma 1`$ we have shown that $`\phi ^2_bq_b\sigma ^{1D}`$, $`q=\epsilon ,p_{},p`$. As an illustration of general results, in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 we have plotted the sphere induced VEVs of the field square and energy-momentum tensor components as functions on $`r/a`$ for a conformally coupled Dirichlet scalar in $`D=3`$ spatial dimensions. Note that in this case the leading terms in the asymptotic expansions of the vacuum energy-momentum tensor components near the boundary vanish. The VEV of the field square is negative everywhere and the energy density is negative/positive inside/outside the sphere.

## Acknowledgement

We acknowledge support from the Research Project of the Kurdistan University. The work of AAS was supported in part by the Armenian Ministry of Education and Science (Grant No. 0887).

## Appendix A On the zeros of the function $`C_\nu ^{ab}(\eta ,z)`$

Here we will first show that for real values of the coefficients $`A`$, $`B`$, $`A_b`$, $`B_b`$ in (16) and (51) all roots of the equation

$$C_\nu ^{ab}(\eta ,z)\overline{J}_\nu (z)\overline{Y}_\nu ^{(b)}(\eta z)\overline{Y}_\nu (z)\overline{J}_\nu ^{(b)}(\eta z)=0,\eta >1$$
(68)
are real or purely imaginary. To see this note that from the relation $`(C_\nu ^{ab}(\eta ,z))^{}=C_\nu ^{ab}(\eta ,z^{})`$ it follows that if $`z`$ is a root to (68) when $`z^{}`$ is also a root. Further, from the Bessel equation for the function $`g_\nu (z,zx)`$ defined in (49) (considered as a function on $`x`$) the following orthogonality relation can be derived

$$_1^\eta 𝑑xxg_\nu (z_1,z_1x)g_\nu (z_2,z_2x)=0,z_1^2z_2^2,$$
(69)
for two roots $`z_1`$ and $`z_2`$ of Eq. (68). Assuming $`z_1^2z_1^2`$ and taking in this relation $`z_2=z_1^{}`$, we obtain a contradiction:

$$_1^\eta 𝑑xx|g_\nu (z_1,z_1x)|^2=0,$$
(70)
and, hence, $`z_1^2=z_1^2`$. This means that the zeros of the function $`C_\nu ^{ab}(\eta ,z)`$ are real or purely imaginary.

In this paper we are interested in the limit $`\eta \mathrm{}`$. Let us show that for large values $`\eta `$ all zeros are real. For the purely imaginary $`z`$, $`z=ye^{\pi i/2}`$ with real $`y`$, the function $`C_\nu ^{ab}(\eta ,z)`$ can be expressed via the Bessel modified functions:

$$C_\nu ^{ab}(\eta ,ye^{\pi i/2})=\frac{2}{\pi }\left[\overline{K}_\nu (y)\overline{I}_\nu ^{(b)}(\eta y)\overline{I}_\nu (y)\overline{K}_\nu ^{(b)}(\eta y)\right].$$
(71)
For large $`\eta `$ the contribution of the second term in the square brackets is exponentially suppressed and one has

$$C_\nu ^{ab}(\eta ,ye^{\pi i/2})\frac{2}{\pi }\overline{K}_\nu (y)\overline{I}_\nu ^{(b)}(\eta y),\eta 1.$$
(72)
From the asymptotic expansion of the function $`I_\nu (z)`$ for large values of the argument it can be seen that for large $`\eta `$ the function $`\overline{I}_\nu ^{(b)}(\eta y)`$ has no zeros. Further, using the recurrent relations for the Bessel modified functions and expressions (16) for the coefficients $`A`$ and $`B`$ with $`n^1=1`$, we can see that

$$\overline{K}_\nu (y)=\frac{B_1}{a}\left[\left(\nu +\frac{n}{2}\frac{A_1a}{B_1}\right)K_\nu (y)+yK_{\nu 1}(y)\right].$$
(73)
Under the condition (17) with $`\nu \nu _0`$ the expression in the square brackets of this equation is always positive and the function $`\overline{K}_\nu (y)`$ has no real zeros. As a result we conclude that for large $`\eta `$ the function $`C_\nu ^{ab}(\eta ,ye^{\pi i/2})`$ has no real zeros with respect to $`y`$. Therefore, for sufficiently large $`\eta `$ all zeros of the function $`C_\nu ^{ab}(\eta ,z)`$ are real.


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# C, PT, CPT invariance of pseudo-Hermitian Hamiltonians

## I Introduction : PT-Symmetry and Pseudo-Hermiticity

Last few years have witnessed a remarkable development wherein the discrete symmetries of a Hamiltonian seem to decide if the eigenspectrum will be real. It has been conjectured  that Hamiltonians possessing symmetry under the combined transformation of parity (P: $`xx`$) and time-reversal (T : $`ii`$) will have real discrete spectrum provided the eigenstates are also simultaneous eigenstates of PT. Interesting situations are those where P and T are individually broken. An overwhelming number of evidences supporting the conjecture are available. \[1-7\].

The real eigenvalues of a PT symmetric Hamiltonian are found connected with a more general property of the Hamiltonian namely the pseudo-Hermiticity. The concept of pseudo-Hermiticity was developed in 50s-60s  following definition of a distorted definition of inner product $`\eta `$ , $`\eta `$ is called a metric. A Hamiltonian is called pseudo-Hermitian, if it is such that

$$\eta H\eta ^1=H^{}.$$
(1)
The eigenstates corresponding to real eigenvalues are $`\eta `$-orthogonal and eigenstates corresponding to complex eigenvalues have zero $`\eta `$-norm (2). Identifying $`\eta `$ for a non-Hermitian Hamiltonian when it has real eigenvalues is very crucial. Most of the PT-symmetric Hamiltonians having real eigenvalues have recently been claimed to be P-pseudo-Hermitian, and several other interesting results have been derived . Several non-Hermitian Hamiltonians of both types PT-symmetric and non-PT-symmetric possessing real spectrum have been identified as pseudo-Hermitian under $`\eta =e^{\theta p}`$ and $`e^{\varphi (x)}`$ . Some more interesting developments relate to weak-pseudo-Hermiticity , pseudo-anti-Hermiticity  and construction non-PT-symmetric (pseudo-Hermitian) complex potential potentials having real eigenvalues  A new pseudo-unitary group and Gaussian-random pseudo-unitary ensembles of pseudo-Hermitian matrices have been proposed . This development gives rise to new energy-level distributions which are expected to represent the spectral fluctuations of PT-symmetric systems.

Most interesting feature of the eigenstates of such Hamiltonians is the indefiniteness \[5-8\] (positivity-negativity) of the norm which is the consequence of the $`\eta `$-inner product

$$\mathrm{\Psi }_m|\eta \mathrm{\Psi }_n=ϵ_n\delta _{m,n},$$
(2)
where $`ϵ_n(=\pm 1)`$ is indefinite (positive-negative). Recall, that the usual norm in Hermiticity is $`\mathrm{\Psi }_n|\mathrm{\Psi }_n`$ positive-definite. Currently, the negativity of the PT-norm has been proposed to indicate the presence of a hidden symmetry called C which mimics charge-conjugation symmetry ($`𝒞`$) . It has been claimed that CPT-norm will be positive definite. An interesting scope for PT-symmetric quantum field theory has been argued. The construction of the new involutary operator C has been discussed. A $`2\times 2`$ matrix Hamiltonian which is actually pseudo-Hermitian with real eigenvalues has been employed and by constructing P=$`\eta `$, T=$`K_0`$ and a CPT-norm the, the novel proposal has been illustrated . $`K_0`$ represents complex-conjugation operator; e.g. $`K_0(AB)=A^{}B^{}`$. Though sufficient and consistent for their assumed model of non-Hermitian Hamiltonian, let us remark that these constructions are too simple to work in general.

## II Current developments and motivation

The next related development  caters to the construction of generalized involutary operators C,P,T from the bi-orthonormal  basis ($`\mathrm{\Psi },\mathrm{\Phi })`$ of the pseudo-Hermitian Hamiltonian with real eigenvalues. In doing so, the well developed machinery of pseudo-Hermiticity has been aptly utilized. This development, however, does not dwell upon the negativity of the PT-norm and invoking of C for the positive-definiteness of the CPT-norm. In this approach, the search of various symmetries of H and their identification as C,PT or CPT has been proposed. Despite, obtaining a curiously different definition of T other than the simple $`K_0`$ , this dichotomy has neither been remarked nor resolved. Also, despite this incompatibility a similar definition of the CPT-inner product  has been adopted .

Further, when a Hamiltonian is Hermitian and of the type $`=p^2/(2m)+V(x)`$ by adopting the definition of C  which becomes P now due to Hermiticity, it has been claimed that Hermitian operators, $``$ have parity P and they are PT-invariant. It may be noted that, the definition of P proposed in  is identical to the definition of generalized parity proposed in  when the Hamiltonian becomes Hermitian.

While following these developments one very strongly feels that a Hermitian Hamiltonian ought to be P, T, PT, and CPT invariant. The PT (CPT)-norm ought to be indefinite (definite). Also the eigenstates of H should display the orthonormality consistent with the definition of norm under the same inner product. These primary contentions do however not meet in either of the approaches

In fact, these expectations have been met lately, not without incorporating a generalized definition of T  a la, discarding T$`=K_0`$  and proposing an inner product . In this Letter, we propose further extension of these  definitions so as to bring consistency in proposing the C, PT, and CPT invariance of a pseudo-Hermitian Hamiltonian (real eigenvalues) definiteness of CPT-norm and the indefiniteness of PT-norm. In our studies, we prefer the use of matrix notations and matrix models of Hamiltonians. Recall that in case of Hermiticity, for the usual stationary states the three modifications $`\mathrm{\Psi }(x),\mathrm{\Psi }^{}(x)`$ and $`\mathrm{\Psi }^{}(x)`$ usually coincide. However, in matrix notations, we have four distinct modifications of the state these are $`\mathrm{\Psi },\mathrm{\Psi }^{}`$ (complex-conjugate) ,$`\mathrm{\Psi }^{}`$ (transpose), $`\mathrm{\Psi }^{}`$ (transpose and complex-conjugate). This makes the matrix notations more general, unambiguous and unmistakable.

## III Pseudo-Hermitian matrices : a unique and definite metric

Let us notice the non-Hermitian complex matrix, $`H`$, given below admitting real eigenvalues $`E_{0,1}=a\pm \sqrt{bc},`$ when $`bc>0`$. We find that there exist four metrics $`\eta _i`$ under which H is pseudo-Hermitian

$`H=\left[\begin{array}{cc}a& ib\\ ic& a\end{array}\right],\eta _1=\left[\begin{array}{cc}0& i\\ i& 0\end{array}\right],\eta _2=\left[\begin{array}{cc}r^2& s\\ s& 1\end{array}\right],\eta _3=\left[\begin{array}{cc}r& 0\\ 0& 1/r\end{array}\right],\eta _4=\left[\begin{array}{cc}0& 1\\ 1& 0\end{array}\right]`$ (13)
Here $`r=\sqrt{c/b}`$ and $`s`$ is in general an arbitrary complex number, indicating that a metric need not necessarily be Hermitian. These $`\eta _1`$ (Pauli’s $`\sigma _x`$) and $`\eta _{2,3,4}`$ have ,in fact, been found by crude algebraic manipulations demonstrating that metric $`\eta `$ is non-unique as informed earlier . Furthermore, if $`\eta _1`$ and $`\eta _2`$ are found then infinitely many metrics can be constructed as $`\eta =(c_1\eta _1+c_2\eta _2)`$ provided $`\eta `$ is invertible. On one hand, the four metrics given above (3) do provide several operators $`F_{i,j}=\eta _i\eta _j^1,ij=1,4`$ which by commuting with $`H`$ bring out its hidden symmetries . In fact, the currently discussed C, PT, and CPT symmetries shall be seen connected to $`F_{i,j}`$ in the examples to follow in the sequel. On the other hand, the non-uniqueness of $`\eta `$ apart from its indefiniteness may be undesirable as the metric determines the expectation values of various operators as $`\mathrm{\Psi }|A\eta `$. We state and prove the following theorem which helps us in fixing a unique and definite metric. This could be seen as a method to find at least one metric under which a given matrix is pseudo-Hermitian.
Theorem :
If a diagonalizable complex matrix $`H`$ admits real eigenvalues $`(E_1,E_2,\mathrm{}E_n)`$ and $`D`$ is its diagonalizing matrix then $`H`$ is $`\eta `$-pseudo-Hermitian, where $`\eta =(DD^{})^1`$. Converse of this also holds.
Proof : Let

$$D^1HD=Diag[E_1,E_2,\mathrm{},E_n]$$
(15)
$$D^1\eta ^1\eta H\eta ^1\eta D=Diag[E_1,E_2,\mathrm{},E_n]$$
(16)
Invoking the pseudo-Hermiticity (1), we write

$$D^1\eta ^1H^{}\eta D=Diag[E_1,E_2,\mathrm{},E_n]$$
(17)
The transpose-conjugation of Eq. 3(a) yields

$$D^{}H^{}(D^1)^{}=Diag[E_1,E_2,\mathrm{},E_n]$$
(18)
Upon comparing last two equations, we get $`D^1\eta ^1=D^{}`$ and $`\eta D=(D^1)^{}`$ which imply $`\eta =(DD^{})^1`$. $`\mathrm{}`$
When H is Hermitian, D will be unitary and we get $`\eta =I`$ as a special case. In general, D will be pseudo-unitary : $`D^{}=\delta D^1\delta ^1`$ . w.r.t. some metric $`\delta `$ which may not be same as $`\eta `$.
Proof (Converse) : Let

$$D^1HD=Diag[E_1,E_2,E_3\mathrm{}..,E_n].$$
(20)
$$\text{and}(DD^{})^1H(DD^{})=H^{}$$
(21)
$$(D^{})^1(D^1HD)D^{}=H^{}.$$
(22)
$$(D^{})^1(Diag[E_1,E_2,E_3\mathrm{}..,E_n])D^{}=H^{}.$$
(23)
By taking transpose-conjugate on both the sides, we have

$$D(Diag[E_1,E_2,E_3\mathrm{}..,E_n])^{}D^1=H.$$
(24)
By left (right) multiplying by D (D<sup>-1</sup>) on both the sides, we get

$$(Diag[E_1^{},E_2^{},E_3^{}\mathrm{}..,E_n^{}])=D^1HD.$$
(25)
Eq. (5e) and (5f) imply nothing but the reality of eigenvalues. $`\mathrm{}`$
Similarly, when all the eigenvalues are complex conjugate and $`D`$ is the diagonalizing arranged such that complex conjugate pairs remain together then it can be proved that $`\overline{\eta }=(DSD^{})^1`$, where $`S`$ is Pauli’s $`\sigma _x`$, when $`H`$ is $`2\times 2`$ otherwise when $`H`$ is $`2n\times 2n,`$ $`S`$ is block-diagonal matrix : $`S=Diag[\sigma _x,\sigma _x,\sigma _x,\mathrm{}.\sigma _x]`$. We now denote and state thus obtained metric as

$$\eta _+=(DD^{})^1,$$
(26)
to actually see that the indefinite norm (2)

$$N_{\eta +}=\mathrm{\Psi }^{}\eta _+\mathrm{\Psi }=\mathrm{\Psi }^{}(DD^{})^1\mathrm{\Psi }=\mathrm{\Psi }^{}D_{}^{}{}_{}{}^{1}D^1\mathrm{\Psi }=(D^1\mathrm{\Psi })^{}(D^1\mathrm{\Psi })=\chi ^{}\chi >0.$$
(27)
is now positive definite. Finding eigenvalues, eigenvectors and diagonalizing matrix is a standard exercise. In that the theorem stated and proved above is indeed an attractive proposal to find the metric for a given complex non-Hermitian matrix admitting real eigenvalues under which it is pseudo-Hermitian. However, by multiplying the columns (rows) by arbitrary constants we can get many diagonalizing matrices say $`D_j`$ and this would give rise to as many metrics say $`\eta _j`$ under which $`H`$ will be pseudo-Hermitian. For the sake of uniqueness, one may only use $`\eta `$-normalized (2) eigen-vectors to construct $`D`$. Earlier, it has been proved that if a pseudo-Hermitian Hamiltonian, H, has real eigenvalues then there exists and operator O such that H is pseudo Hermitian under: $`(OO^{})`$  and $`(OO^{})^1`$ . Another, form for $`\eta _+`$ in terms of the eigenvectors has also been proposed .

## IV Construction of C,P,T and proposal of an inner product

When pseudo-Hermitian Hamiltonian (1) has real eigenvalues, we have

$$H\mathrm{\Psi }_N=E_n\mathrm{\Psi },H^{}\mathrm{\Phi }_n=E_n\mathrm{\Phi }_n,\mathrm{\Phi }=\eta \mathrm{\Psi },$$
(28)
$`(\mathrm{\Psi }_n,\mathrm{\Phi }_n)`$ are called bi-orthonormal basis and $`\mathrm{\Phi }=\eta \mathrm{\Psi }`$. We have also witnessed in the example above (3) that several metrics could be obtained under which a given H is pseudo-Hermitian. Let us stress that this interesting practical experience remains elusive in several formal definitions. Let us examine the properties of the metrics obtained in (3). The metric $`\eta _1`$ is involutary ($`U^2=1`$). The metrics $`\eta _1,\eta _3,\eta _4`$ are Hermitian, unitary and simple ($`detU=1`$). The metrics $`\eta _3,\eta _4`$ are real-symmetric. The metric $`\eta _2`$ very importantly is non-Hermitian in general. The metrics $`\eta _1,\eta _4`$ are (constant) disentangled with the elements of H and we call them as $`\mathrm{𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑟}`$ . It will be very interesting to investigate whether or not one can always find an involutary and $`\mathrm{𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑟}`$ metric for an arbitrary pseudo-Hermitian matrix. The interesting exposition  that most of the known PT-symmetric Hamiltonians are actually P-pseudo-Hermitian is very valuable in order to connect pseudo-Hermiticity with P and T and hence to possible physical situations . Once, the involutary metric is found it will be fixed for the definition of orthonormality (2) and we will assume it to represent the generalized P. This ad-hoc strategy also seems to have been adopted in . Therefore, the question of a definition to construct P again, from the bi-orthonormal basis $`(\mathrm{\Psi },\mathrm{\Phi })`$ either does not arise or will yield P=$`\eta `$, eventually.

Here, one very important remark is in order : in the recent works on pseudo-Hermiticity, the indefiniteness of the $`\eta `$norm (or orthonormality) has not been realized and this has given rise to an assumption that somehow $`\mathrm{\Phi }_m^{}\mathrm{\Psi }_n`$ is positive-definite (e.g., Eqs. (11,12) in , Eqs. (5,6) in , Eq. (7) in ). Consequently, representations of $`I`$ (the completeness) in terms of $`(\mathrm{\Psi },\mathrm{\Phi })`$, for instance, for two level matrix Hamiltonian, has been given as $`(\mathrm{\Psi }_0\mathrm{\Phi }_0^{}+\mathrm{\Psi }_1\mathrm{\Phi }_1^{}).`$ Though, known earlier \[3-9\] , however, the indefiniteness of the norm is centrally consequent to the novel identification of charge-conjugation symmetry by Bender et. al..

Thus having fixed $`\eta `$ for H, we find $`\eta `$-normalized (2) eigenvectors $`\mathrm{\Psi }_n`$. These, normalized eigenvectors are used to construct the diagonalizing matrix D and $`\eta _+`$ (6) which are unique only under the fixed $`\eta `$. We obtain another basis $`\{\mathrm{{\rm Y}}_n\}`$ as

$$\mathrm{{\rm Y}}_n=\eta _+\mathrm{\Psi }_n,$$
(29)
which by construction (see (7)) is such that

$$\mathrm{\Psi }_m^{}\mathrm{{\rm Y}}_n=\delta _{m,n}.$$
(30)
In the spirit of , we propose to construct P as

$$P=\underset{n=0}{\overset{N}{}}(1)^n\mathrm{\Psi }_n\mathrm{\Psi }_n^{},$$
(31)
such that P$`\mathrm{{\rm Y}}_n=()^n\mathrm{\Psi }_n`$, implying that neither of $`\mathrm{\Psi }_n,\mathrm{{\rm Y}}_n`$ are the eigenstates of parity as it should be. We define the anti-linear time-reversal operator T as

$$T=\left(\underset{n=0}{\overset{N}{}}\mathrm{{\rm Y}}_n\mathrm{{\rm Y}}_n^{}\right)K_0$$
(32)
such that T$`\mathrm{\Psi }_n=\mathrm{{\rm Y}}_n`$ and we further have

$$PT=\left(\underset{n=0}{\overset{N}{}}()^n\mathrm{\Psi }_n\mathrm{{\rm Y}}_n^{}\right)K_0,$$
(33)
such that PT$`\mathrm{\Psi }_n=()^n\mathrm{\Psi }_n`$. We adopt the definition of C as proposed in

$$C=\underset{n=0}{\overset{N}{}}(1)^n\mathrm{\Psi }_n\mathrm{{\rm Y}}_n^{},\text{where}\underset{n=0}{\overset{N}{}}\mathrm{\Psi }_n\mathrm{{\rm Y}}_n^{}=1$$
(34)
such that C$`\mathrm{\Psi }_n=()^n\mathrm{\Psi }`$. Next using (13) and (14) the symmetry operator CPT takes the form

$$CPT=\left(\underset{n=0}{\overset{N}{}}\mathrm{\Psi }_n\mathrm{{\rm Y}}_n^{}\right)K_0,$$
(35)
such that CPT $`\mathrm{\Psi }_n=\mathrm{\Psi }_n.`$ The following involutions

$$(CPT)^2=(PT)^2=C^2=1$$
(36)
always hold. However, we get

$$T^2=P^2,\text{iff}()^{m+n}\mathrm{\Psi }_m^{}\mathrm{\Psi }_n=\mathrm{{\rm Y}}_m^{}\mathrm{{\rm Y}}_n.$$
(37)
When the Hamiltonian is Hermitian, P and T have been proved to be involutary . However, for pseudo-Hermitian Hamiltonian this becomes conditional. In Eq. (87) of , the above condition is suggested to be ensuring that P and T are involutary. Let us remark that this condition only ensures that $`P^2=T^2`$. Further, since we choose P to be involutary and so will T be. We find that the following commutation relations

$$[H,C]=[H,PT]=[H,CPT]=0,\text{and }[H,P]0[H,P]$$
(38)
displaying the invariance and non-invariance of the Hamiltonian. We now define a X-inner product as

$$(X\mathrm{\Psi }_m)^{}\mathrm{{\rm Y}}_n=(X\mathrm{\Psi }_m)^{}\eta _+\mathrm{\Psi }_n=ϵ_n\delta _{m,n},$$
(39)
where $`ϵ_n(=\pm 1)`$ is indefinite. Consequently, the X-norm as

$$N_{X,n}=(X\mathrm{\Psi }_n)^{}\mathrm{{\rm Y}}_n=(X\mathrm{\Psi }_n)^{}\eta _+\mathrm{\Psi }_n.$$
(40)
Here $`X`$ represents the symmetry operators such as C, PT, and CPT constructed above, such that $`[H,X]=0.`$ Since $`X\mathrm{\Psi }_n=ϵ_n\mathrm{\Psi }`$, $`ϵ_n`$ is real, the X-inner product in view of (7) will be real-definite.

## V examination of the other current approaches

Let us examine the inner products defined in  and . The inner product (Eqs.(5,12,22) in ) in our notations reads as

$$(X\mathrm{\Psi }_m)^{}\mathrm{\Psi }_n,$$
(41)
which is not real-definite in general, noting the fact that $`\mathrm{\Psi }_n`$ are eigenvectors over a complex field (the elements of these vectors are complex). The same shortcoming of not being real-definite applies to the inner product analysed and proposed in (Eq. (75) in ) which would read as

$$(X\mathrm{{\rm Y}}_m)^{}\mathrm{\Psi }_n$$
(42)
We have earlier  proved and illustrated that the definition of the inner product (21)  does not let the energy-eigenstates of the Hermitian H to be orthogonal. We would like to claim that our definition of the X-inner product proposed here is most general and consistent so far \[3-9,16,18-20\], for the PT-symmetric or pseudo-Hermitian Hamiltonians.

Let us now appreciate how despite the inner product (21) not being real-definite in general, the physically intriguing and also consistent claims of C, PT, and CPT invariance of H and definiteness of CPT-norm could have been made. The eigenvectors of a pseudo Hermitian matrix are naturally $`\eta `$-orthogonal (2) let us remark that H in  is pseudo-Hermitian under $`\eta =\sigma _x`$, which has been chosen to be P. In fact, H (Eq.(14) in ) is a special example, where the elementary ($`\psi _n`$) eigenvectors are also incidentally orthogonal as $`\psi _0^{}\psi _1=0,`$ in addition to the $`\eta `$-orthogonality : $`\psi _0^{}\eta \psi _1=0`$. Therefore, the concept and method of pseudo-Hermiticity which promises generality could be relaxed here . Next, these eigenvectors are to be multiplied by suitable factors to obtain the relevant useful basis, $`\{\mathrm{\Psi }_n\}`$, such that $`PT\psi _n=\eta K_0\mathrm{\Psi }_n=()^n\mathrm{\Psi }_n`$. We would like to add one more such instance. where this method could succeed again is the following

$`H=\left[\begin{array}{cc}ac& ib\\ ib& a+c\end{array}\right],\eta _=\left[\begin{array}{cc}1& 0\\ 0& 1\end{array}\right]=P,\psi _0=\left[\begin{array}{c}1\\ ir\end{array}\right],\psi _1=\left[\begin{array}{c}1\\ i/r\end{array}\right],`$ (51)
where, we again have $`\psi _0^{}\psi _1=0`$, besides the $`\eta `$-orthogonality (2). The eigenvalues are $`E_{0,1}=a\pm \sqrt{c^2b^2},r=\frac{c+\sqrt{c^2b^2}}{b}`$ these are real as long as $`c^2>b^2`$. The illustrations $`𝐈_\mathrm{𝟏},𝐈_\mathrm{𝟐}`$ given below are also aimed at citing examples where the approach taken in  does not work. It is , however, worth mentioning that the prescriptions suggested in Section IV, which are in keeping with the spirit of the approach in  sans the inner-product dwfined there and T, works for both the examples : one in  and the other discussed above in (23). The most notable failure of the approach in  has already been reported in  when it is applied back to Hermiticity.

## VI illustrations

The definitions for the construction of P,T,C, though general, certain features can still not be proved. For instance whether C and P will always not commute. Whether P and T will always commute. When a complex (non-Hermitian) matrix Hamiltonian having real eigenvalues has P, which is not involutary will we get an involutary T ? In this regard, simple doable examples are desirable. In the following we present two illustrations to throw some more light for the un-answered questions stated here.

Without loss of generality, we take $`2\times 2`$ matrix Hamiltonians  and construct P,T,C as per Eqs. (11), (12) and (14) as

$$P=\mathrm{\Psi }_0\mathrm{\Psi }_0\mathrm{\Psi }_1\mathrm{\Psi }_1,T=\left(\mathrm{{\rm Y}}_0\mathrm{{\rm Y}}_0^{}+\mathrm{{\rm Y}}_1\mathrm{{\rm Y}}_1^{}\right)K_0,C=\mathrm{\Psi }_0\mathrm{{\rm Y}}_0\mathrm{\Psi }_1\mathrm{{\rm Y}}_1,$$
(52)
for short. In illustration : $`𝐈_\mathrm{𝟏}`$, we take up the same Hamiltonian as given in (3), here the fundamental metric (P) is involutary and in illustration : $`𝐈_\mathrm{𝟐}`$, it is kept non-involutary.
$`𝐈_\mathrm{𝟏}:`$
We take pseudo-Hermitian Hamiltonian, H, and the fundamental metric, $`\eta (=\eta _1)`$, from (3). The $`\eta `$-normalized eigenvectors are

$`\mathrm{\Psi }_0=\sqrt{{\displaystyle \frac{2}{r}}}\left[\begin{array}{c}i/r\\ 1\end{array}\right],\mathrm{\Psi }_1=\sqrt{{\displaystyle \frac{2}{r}}}\left[\begin{array}{c}1/r\\ i\end{array}\right]`$ (57)
One can readily check that $`\mathrm{\Psi }_0^{}\eta \mathrm{\Psi }_1=0,`$ but $`\mathrm{\Psi }_0^{}\mathrm{\Psi }_1=i\frac{1+r^2}{2r}0`$ for the approach  to work here. Following section IV , we obtain P,T, and $`\eta _+`$ as

$`P=\left[\begin{array}{cc}0& i\\ i& 0\end{array}\right],T=\left[\begin{array}{cc}0& i\\ i& 0\end{array}\right]K_0,\eta _+=\left[\begin{array}{cc}r& 0\\ 0& 1/r\end{array}\right],`$ (64)
Notice that P turns out to be the same as $`\eta _1`$-the chosen fundamental metric. The symmetry operators C, PT and CPT are

$`C=\left[\begin{array}{cc}0& i/r\\ ir& 0\end{array}\right],PT=\left[\begin{array}{cc}1& 0\\ 0& 1\end{array}\right]K_0,CPT=\left[\begin{array}{cc}0& i/r\\ ir& 0\end{array}\right]K_0,`$ (71)
The symmetry operator C could be checked to be identical to $`\eta _1\eta _3^1.`$ (see (3)), demonstrating how two distinct metrics combine to yield a hidden symmetry of the Hamiltonian. In addition to the general results stated above, we get $`(CP)^1=PC=\eta _+`$, in actual $`𝒞𝒫𝒯`$-invariance $`𝒞,𝒫`$ do commute . We also confirm the commutation of P and T and the involutions : $`T^2=P^2=1.`$ Similar, experience can be had by studying the model of  and (23). Interestingly, the fundamental metrics in all these cases are the Pauli’s matrices which are involutary, Hermitian, unitary, simple and also secular.
$`𝐈_\mathrm{𝟐}:`$
In the following, let us now take an example where the fundamental metric is only Hermitian and secular as it does not affect the eigenvalues : $`E_{0,1}=\frac{1}{2}[(a+b)\pm \sqrt{(ab)^2+4c^2}].`$ We introduce $`\theta =\frac{1}{2}\mathrm{tan}^1\frac{2c}{ab}.`$

$`H=\left[\begin{array}{cc}a& ic/x\\ icx& b\end{array}\right],\eta =\left[\begin{array}{cc}x& 0\\ 0& 1/x\end{array}\right],\mathrm{\Psi }_0=\sqrt{x}\left[\begin{array}{c}\mathrm{cos}\theta /x\\ i\mathrm{sin}\theta \end{array}\right],\mathrm{\Psi }_1={\displaystyle \frac{1}{\sqrt{x}}}\left[\begin{array}{c}i\mathrm{sin}\theta \\ x\mathrm{cos}\theta \end{array}\right],`$ (80)
Check that the states are only $`\eta `$-orthogonal and the condition $`\mathrm{\Psi }_0^{}\mathrm{\Psi }_1=i\mathrm{sin}\theta (1+x^2)/x0`$ like in $`𝐈_\mathrm{𝟏}`$ and unlike in Section V, is not met here. We construct P, T, C as

$`P=\left[\begin{array}{cc}\frac{\mathrm{cos}2\theta }{x}& i\mathrm{sin}2\theta \\ i\mathrm{sin}2\theta & x\mathrm{cos}2\theta \end{array}\right],T=\left[\begin{array}{cc}x\mathrm{cos}2\theta & i\mathrm{sin}2\theta \\ i\mathrm{sin}2\theta & \frac{\mathrm{cos}2\theta }{x}\end{array}\right]K_0,C=\left[\begin{array}{cc}\mathrm{cos}2\theta & \frac{i\mathrm{sin}2\theta }{x}\\ ix\mathrm{sin}2\theta & \mathrm{cos}2\theta \end{array}\right]`$ (87)
and $`\eta `$ is returned as $`\eta _+`$. Very interestingly, P is different from the fundamental metric $`\eta `$. Since this fundamental metric is definite giving $`\mathrm{\Psi }_n^{}\eta \mathrm{\Psi }_n=+1,`$ the construction of $`\eta _+`$ as per (6) yields it back. Unlike other examples here we have $`T^2P^21`$, whereas the results (16) are met. We find that P and T commute; C and P do not commute. We get $`PC(CP)^1=\eta _+=\eta .`$ When $`x=1`$, the scenario for Hermiticity can be observed.

## VII Conclusions

The theorem stated and proved in section III adds an important result in matrix algebra  for constructing a metric(s) $`\eta _+=(DD^{})^1`$ (6) where $`D`$ is the diagonalizing matrix for the pseudo-Hermitian matrix which has real eigenvalues. The proven positive definiteness (7) of this metric is of utility while constructing the generalized P, T, C and an inner product for a matrix-Hamiltonian which possesses a real spectrum.

If X is a symmetry operator for the Hamiltonian H, i.e. $`[X,H]=0`$ then the proposed definition of the inner product as $`X\mathrm{\Psi }|\eta _+\mathrm{\Psi }`$ (19) or even $`X\mathrm{\Psi }|\eta \mathrm{\Psi }`$ is the most general definition proposed so far \[3-9,16,18-20\] when Hamiltonians are PT-symmetric or $`\eta `$-pseudo-Hermitian.

We have examined the approach in  to be too simple to work in general. The approach in , sans its inner product, is found to be correct and more general. However, our modification of the definition of T makes it compatible with the proposed indefiniteness of PT-norm and definiteness of CPT-norm . The examples using several matrix Hamiltonians drawn from our recent  studies on pseudo-Hermiticity have illustrated various contentions explicitly. The works using non-matrix Hamiltonians and yet making similar claims could be desirable further.

Admittedly, the only properties possessed by C, PT, and CPT are their involutions (16) various commutations (18) inner product (19), to strike their correspondance with the actual $`𝒞,𝒫𝒯,𝒶𝓃𝒹𝒞𝒫𝒯`$ of Hermitian field theory. Much deeper connections and agruments would be required to make claims a la the conventional $`𝒞𝒫𝒯`$ invariance . One point that requires emphasis is that in pseudo-Hermiticity, we are able to construct only three distinct involutary operators, which we have designated as P, T and C as against the conventional $`𝒫,𝒯,𝒞`$ . In this regard, our matrix Hamiltonians could be useful for further refinements in the theory of C, PT, and CPT invariance. Also these may be taken as toy models of a futuristic pseudo-Hermitian field theory.

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