We calculate the quantum discord between two free modes of a scalar field, which start in a maximally entangled state and then undergo a relative constant acceleration. In a regime where there is no distillable entanglement due to the Unruh effect, we show that there is a finite amount of quantum discord, which is a measure of purely quantum correlations in a state over and above quantum entanglement. Even in the limit of infinite acceleration of the observer detecting one of the modes, we provide evidence for a nonzero amount of purely quantum correlations. We discuss our result in the context of secure quantum communications involving eavesdroppers in noninertial frames.

• Received 20 May 2009

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.80.052304