The Representation Theory of Decoherence Functionals in History Quantum Theories

In the first part of this paper the general perspective of history quantum theoriesis reviewed. History quantum theories provide a conceptual and mathematicalframework for formulating quantum theories without a globally definedHamiltonian time evolution and for introducing the concept of space-time eventinto quantum theory. On a mathematical level a history quantum theory ischaracterized by the space of histories, which represent the space-time events, andby the space of decoherence functionals, which represent the quantum mechanicalstates in the history approach. The second part of this paper is devoted to thestudy of the structure of the space of decoherence functionals for some physicallyreasonable spaces of histories in some detail. The temporal reformulation ofstandard Hamiltonian quantum theories suggests to consider the case that thespace of histories is given by (i) the lattice of projection operators on someHilbert space or, slightly more generally, (ii) the set of projection operators insome von Neumann algebra. In the case (i) the conditions are identified underwhich decoherence functionals can be represented by, respectively, trace classoperators, bounded operators, or families of trace class operators on the tensorproduct of the underlying Hilbert space by itself. Moreover, we discuss thenaturally arising representations of decoherence functionals as sesquilinear forms.The paper ends with a discussion of the consequences of the results for thegeneral axiomatic framework of history theories.     

Homogeneous Decoherence Functionals¶in Standard and History Quantum Mechanics

General history quantum theories are quantum theories without a globally defined notion of time. Decoherence functionals represent the states in the history approach and are defined as certain bivariate complex-valued functionals on the space of all histories. However, in practical situations – for instance in the history formulation of standard quantum mechanics – there often is a global time direction and the homogeneous decoherence functionals are specified by their values on the subspace of homogeneous histories. In this work we study the analytic properties of (i) the standard decoherence functional in the history version of standard quantum mechanics and (ii) homogeneous decoherence functionals in general history theories. We restrict ourselves to the situation where the space of histories is given by the lattice of projections on some Hilbert space ℋ. Among other things we prove the non-existence of a finitely valued extension for the standard decoherence functional to the space of all histories, derive a representation for the standard decoherence functional as an unbounded quadratic form with a natural representation on a Hilbert space and prove the existence of an Isham–Linden–Schreckenberg (ILS) type representation for the standard decoherence functional. Received: 26 November 1998 / Accepted: 2 December 1998     

Timeless Configuration Space and the Emergence of Classical Behavior

The inherent difficulty in talking about quantum decoherence in the context of quantum cosmology is that decoherence requires subsystems, and cosmology is the study of the whole Universe. Consistent histories gave a possible answer to this conundrum, by phrasing decoherence as loss of interference between alternative histories of closed systems. When one can apply Boolean logic to a set of histories, it is deemed ‘consistent’. However, the vast majority of the sets of histories that are merely consistent are blatantly nonclassical in other respects, and further constraints than just consistency need to be invoked. In this paper, I attempt to give an alternative answer to the issues faced by consistent histories, by exploring a timeless interpretation of quantum mechanics of closed systems. This is done solely in terms of path integrals in non-relativistic, timeless, configuration space. What prompts a fresh look at such foundational problems in this context is the advent of multiple gravitational models in which Lorentz symmetry is not fundamental, but only emergent. And what allows this approach to overcome previous barriers to a timeless, conditional probabilities interpretation of quantum mechanics is the new notion of records—made possible by an inherent asymmetry of configuration space. I outline and explore consequences of this approach for foundational issues of quantum mechanics, such as the natural emergence of the Born rule, conservation of probabilities, and the Sleeping Beauty paradox.     

On the Concept of Entropy for Quantum Decaying Systems

The classical concept of entropy was successfully extended to quantum mechanics by the introduction of the density operator formalism. However, further extensions to quantum decaying states have been hampered by conceptual difficulties associated to the particular nature of these states. In this work we address this problem, by (i) pointing out the difficulties that appear when one tries a consistent definition for this entropy, and (ii) building up a plausible formalism for it, which is based on the use of coherent complex states in the context of a path integration.     

The elusive quantal individual

In the formal hedgehog representation of quantum mechanics [5] (ambiguous) weights are derived for hedgehogs with a finite number of questions and answers, in particular applied to spin $\text{1}\text{2}$ and to correlated spin $\text{1}\text{2}$ pairs. Unavoidable negative weights are a clear signal for conceptual difficulties in quantum mechanical interpretation. If these weights had been presupposed to be non-negative, they could have led to Bell-like inequalities inconsistent with quantum mechanics. This is what has happened already in various special models.Owing to the indefinite weights, the hedgehog hypothesis of one-to-one mapping between individual physical samples and individual fictitious hedgehogs cannot be maintained. If no physical interpretation is conceived for the negative weights, the only way to avoid unsolved conceptual difficulties appears to resign (even in the hedgehog representation) to the skeptical ensemble interpretation [1], without theorizing about individual physical samples at all.     

Consistent histories and operational quantum theory

In this work a generalization of the consistent histories approach to quantum mechanics is presented. We first critically review the consistent histories approach to nonrelativistic quantum mechanics in a mathematically rigorous way and give some general comments about it. We investigate to what extent the consistent histories scheme is compatible with the results of the operational formulation of quantum mechanics. According to the operational approach, nonrelativistic quantum mechanics is most generally formulated in terms of effects, states, and operations. We formulate a generalized consistent histories theory using the concepts and the terminology which have proven useful in the operational formulation of quantum mechanics. The logical rule of the logical interpretation of quantum mechanics is generalized to the present context. The algebraic structure of the generalized theory is studied in detail.     

Consistent histories and the interpretation of quantum mechanics

The usual formula for transition probabilities in nonrelativistic quantum mechanics is generalized to yield conditional probabilities for selected sequences of events at several different times, called consistent histories, through a criterion which ensures that, within limits which are explicitly defined within the formalism, classical rules for probabilities are satisfied. The interpretive scheme which results is applicable to closed (isolated) quantum systems, is explicitly independent of the sense of time (i.e., past and future can be interchanged), has no need for wave function collapse, makes no reference to processes of measurement (though it can be used to analyze such processes), and can be applied to sequences of microscopic or macroscopic events, or both, as long as the mathematical condition of consistency is satisfied. When applied to appropriate macroscopic events it appears to yield the same answers as other interpretative schemes for standard quantum mechanics, though from a different point of view which avoids the conceptual difficulties which are sometimes thought to require reference to conscious observers or classical apparatus.     

The conceptual analysis (CA) method in theories of microchannels: Application to quantum theory. Part III. Idealizations. Hilbert space representation

We illustrate the application of the conceptual analysis (CA) method outlined in Part I by the example of quantum mechanics. In the present part the Hilbert space structure of conventional quantum mechanics is deduced as a consequence of postulates specifying further idealized concepts. A critical discussion of the idealizations of quantum mechanics is proposed. Quantum mechanics is characterized as a “statistically complete” theory and a simple and elegant formal recipe for the construction of the fundamental mathematical apparatus of quantum mechanics is formulated. Our analysis may also lead to a criticism of quantum mechanics as a “strongly idealized” theory. A critical analysis of the fundamental structure of quantum mechanics seems an indispensable and natural starting point for the construction of new theories. A major technical problem in a more general application of the CA method is the lack of mathematical representation theorems for more general algebraic structures.     

The transitions among classical mechanics,quantum mechanics,and stochastic quantum mechanics

Various formalisms for recasting quantum mechanics in the framework of classical mechanics on phase space are reviewed and compared. Recent results in stochastic quantum mechanics are shown to avoid the difficulties encountered by the earlier approach of Wigner, as well as to avoid the well-known incompatibilities of relativity and ordinary quantum theory. Specific mappings among the various formalisms are given.     

Entangled Fields in Multiple Cavities as a Testing Ground for Quantum Mechanics

Entangled states provide the necessary tools for conceptual tests of quantum mechanics and other alternative theories. These tests include local hidden variables theories, pre- and postselective quantum mechanics, QND measurements, complementarity, and tests of quantum mechanics itself against, e.g., the so-called causal communication constraint. We show how to produce various nonlocal entangled states of multiple cavity fields that are useful for these tests, using cavity QED techniques. First, we discuss the generation of the Bell basis states in two entangled cavities, when there is at most one photon in either of the cavities, and then a straightforward generalization to similar N-cavity states. We then show how to produce a nonlocal entangled state when there is precisely one photon hiding in three cavities. These states can be produced by sending appropriately prepared atoms through the cavities. As applications we briefly review two proposals: one to test quantum mechanics against the causal communication constraint using a two-cavity entangled state and the other to test pre- and postselective quantum mechanics using a three-cavity entangled state. The outcome of the latter experiment can be discussed from the viewpoint of the consistent histories interpretation of quantum mechanics and therefore provides an opportunity to subject quantum cosmological ideas to laboratory tests. Finally, we point out the relation between these schemes and the schemes suggested for quantum computing, teleportation, and quantum copying.     

The conceptual analysis (CA) method in theories of microchannels: Application to quantum theory. Part II. Idealizations. “Perfect measurements”

The application of the conceptual analysis (CA) method outlined in Part I is illustrated on the example of quantum mechanics. In Part II, we deduce the complete-lattice structure in quantum mechanics from postulates specifying the idealizations that are accepted in the theory. The idealized abstract concepts are introduced by means of a topological extension of the basic structure (obtained in Part I) in accord with the “approximation principle”; the relevant topologies are not arbitrarily chosen; they are fixed by the choice of the idealizations. There is a typical topological asymmetry in the mathematical scheme. Convexity or linear structures do not play any role in the mathematical methods of this approach. The essential concept in Part II is the idealization of “perfect measurement” suggested by our conceptual analysis in Part I. The Hilbert-space representation will be deduced in Part III. In our papers, we keep to the tenet: The mathematical scheme of a physical theory must be rigorously formulated. However, for physics, mathematics is only a nice and useful tool; it is not purpose.     

Decoherent Histories and Realism

We reconsider the decoherent histories approach to quantum mechanics and analyze some problems related to its interpretation which we believe have not been adequately clarified by its proponents. We put forward some assumptions which, in our opinion, are necessary for a realistic interpretation of the probabilities that the formalism attaches to decoherent histories. We prove that such assumptions, unless one limits the set of the decoherent families which can be taken into account, lead to a logical contradiction. The line of reasoning we follow is conceptually different from other arguments which have been presented and which have been rejected by the supporters of the decoherent histories approach. The conclusion is that the decoherent histories approach, to be considered as an interesting realistic alternative to the orthodox interpretation of quantum mechanics, requires the identification of a mathematically precise criterion to characterize an appropriate set of decoherent families which does not give rise to any problem.     

A Unified Algebraic Approach to Quantum Theory

Conventional approaches to quantum mechanics are essentially dualistic. This is reflected in the fact that their mathematical formulation is based on two distinct mathematical structures: the algebra of dynamical variables (observables) and the vector space of state vectors. In contrast, coherent interpretations of quantum mechanics highlight the fact that quantum phenomena must be considered as undivided wholes. Here, we discuss a purely algebraic formulation of quantum mechanics. This formulation does not require the specification of a space of state vectors; rather, the required vector spaces can be identified as substructures in the algebra of dynamical variables (suitably extended for bosonic systems). This formulation of quantum mechanics captures the undivided wholeness characteristic of quantum phenomena, and provides insight into their characteristic nonseparability and nonlocality. The interpretation of the algebraic formulation in terms of quantum process is discussed.