Unification of electromagnetism and gravitation: The equations of electrodynamics derived from the Riemann tensor in general relativity

The equations of free-space electrodynamics are derived directly from the Riemann curvature tensor and the Bianchi identity of general relativity by contracting on two indices to give a novel antisymmetric Ricci tensor. Within a factore/h, this is the field-strength tensor G of free-space electrodynamics. The Bianchi identity for G describes free-space electrodynamics in a manner analogous to, but more general than, Maxwell's equations for electrodynamics, the critical difference being the existence in general and special relativity of the Evans-Vigier fieldB ⁽³⁾.     

Quantum measure spaces

In this article I present some material of a forthcoming book with the titleQuantum Measures and Spaces. The main theme are generalizations of Gleason's theorem and spaces in which quantum measures exist. Characterizations of such spaces and classifications of their measures are given. The book will contain some supplementary results from the orthomodular theory under the heading Miscellaneous. It is a sequel to the bookMeasures and Hilbert Lattices of the same author.     

Fractional noise

Fractional noiseN(t),t 0, is a stochastic process for every , and is defined as the fractional derivative or fractional integral of white noise. For = 1 we recover Brownian motion and for = 1/2 we findf ^–1-noise. For 1/2 1, a superposition of fractional noise is related to the fractional diffusion equation.     

Minimal supports in quantum logics and Hilbert space

It is shown that if a fully atomic, complete orthomodular lattice satisfies a minimal support condition (m.s.c.), then it satisfies Piron's axioms, and is thereby shown to be the projection lattice of a generalized Hilbert space. It is shown, conversely, that m.s.c. holds in Hilbert space subspace lattices. The physical justification for m.s.c. is provided in the context of a property lattice (A, ) for a realistic entity (A, ) in the sense of Foulis-Piron-Randall. This context provides a clear focus on key issues in the debate over the appropriateness of requiring quantum logics to be represented over Hilbert spaces.     

Discontinuity of the magnetization in one-dimensional 1/¦x−y¦2 Ising and Potts models

Results from percolation theory are used to study phase transitions in one-dimensional Ising andq-state Potts models with couplings of the asymptotic formJ _x,y const/¦x–y¦². For translation-invariant systems with well-defined lim _x x ² J _x =J ⁺ (possibly 0 or ) we establish: (1) There is no long-range order at inverse temperatures withJ ⁺1. (2) IfJ ⁺>q, then by sufficiently increasingJ ₁ the spontaneous magnetizationM is made positive. (3) In models with 0<J ⁺< the magnetization is discontinuous at the transition point (as originally predicted by Thouless), and obeysM( _c )1/( _c J ⁺)^1/2. (4) For Ising (q=2) models withJ ⁺<, it is noted that the correlation function decays as xy()c()/|x–y|² whenever< _c . Points 1–3 are deduced from previous percolation results by utilizing the Fortuin-Kasteleyn representation, which also yields other results of independent interest relating Potts models with different values ofq.     

A Generalized Bell Inequality and Decoherence for the K0KO

First, a generalized Bell inequality for different times and for different quasi-spin states is developed. We focus on special quasi-spin eigenstates and times. The inequality based on a local realistic theory is violated by the CP-violating parameter [1] if the quantum theory is used to recalculate the probabilities. Next, the quantum mechanical probabilities are modified by the decoherence approach, which enables the initial state to factorize spontaneously. In this way we get a lower limit for the decoherence parameter , which measures the degree of decoherence. This result is compared with the experimental value [2, 3] of the decoherence parameter deduced from the data of the CPLEAR experiment [4].     

Stochastic differential equations anda posteriori states in quantum mechanics

In recent years a consistent theory describing measurements continuous in time in quantum mechanics has been developed. The result of such a measurement is atrajectoryfor one or more quantities observed with continuity in time. Applications are connected especially with detection theory in quantum optics. In such a theory of continuous measurements one can ask what is the state of the system given that a certain trajectory up to timet has been observed. The response to this question is the notion ofa posteriori states and afilteringequation governing the evolution of such states: this turns out to be a nonlinear stochastic differential equation for density matrices or for pure vectors. The driving noise appearing in such an equation is not an external one, but its probability law is determined by the system itself (it is the probability measure on the trajectory space given by the theory of continuous measurements).     

A hidden measurement representation for quantum entities described by finite-dimensional complex Hilbert spaces

It will be shown that the probability calculus of a quantum mechanical entity can be obtained in a deterministic framework, embedded in a real space, by introducing a lack of knowledge in the measurements on that entity. For all n we propose an explicit model in , which entails a representation for a quantum entity described by an n-dimensional complex Hilbert space þ_n, namely, the þ_n,Euclidean hidden measurement representation. This Euclidean hidden measurement representation is also in a more general sense equivalent with the orthodox Hilbert space formulation of quantum mechanics, since every mathematical ingredient of ordinary quantum mechanics can easily be translated into the framework of these representations.Supported by Flanders' Federale Dienst voor Wet., Techn. en Cult. Aang., in the framework of IUAP-III No. 9.     

Types of von Neumann algebras associated with extremal invariant states

A globalized version of the following is proved. Let be a factor acting on a Hilbert space ,G a group of unitary operators on inducing automorphisms of ,x a vector separating and cyclic for which is up to a scalar multiple the unique vector invariant under the unitaries inG. Then either is of type III or _x is a trace of . The theorem is then applied to study the representations due to invariant factors state of asymptotically abelianC*-algebras, and to show that in quantum field theory certain regions in the Minkowski space give type III factors.     

Nondemolition principle of quantum measurement theory

We give an explicit axiomatic formulation of the quantum measurement theory which is free of the projection postulate. It is based on the generalized nondemolition principle applicable also to the unsharp, continuous-spectrum and continuous-in-time observations. The collapsed state-vector after the objectification is simply treated as a random vector of the a posterioristate given by the quantum filtering, i.e., the conditioning of the a prioriinduced state on the corresponding reduced algebra. The nonlinear phenomenological equation of continuous spontaneous localization has been derived from the Schrödinger equation as a case of the quantum filtering equation for the diffusive nondemolition measurement. The quantum theory of measurement and filtering suggests also another type of the stochastic equation for the dynamical theory of continuous reduction, corresponding to the counting nondemolition measurement, which is more relevant for the quantum experiments.     

The nonrelativistic Schrödinger equation in “quasi-classical” theory

The author has recently proposed a quasi-classical theory of particles and interactions in which particles are pictured as extended periodic disturbances in a universal field (x, t), interacting with each other via nonlinearity in the equation of motion for . The present paper explores the relationship of this theory to nonrelativistic quantum mechanics; as a first step, it is shown how it is possible to construct from a configuration-space wave function (x ₁,x ₂,t), and that the theory requires that satisfy the two-particle Schrödinger equation in the case where the two particles are well separated from each other. This suggests that the multiparticle Schrödinger equation can be obtained as a direct consequence of the quasi-classical theory without any use of the usual formalism (Hilbert space, quantization rules, etc.) of conventional quantum theory and in particular without using the classical canonical treatment of a system as a crutch theory which has subsequently to be quantized. The quasi-classical theory also suggests the existence of a preferred absolute gauge for the electromagnetic potentials.     

An investigation of finite-size scaling for systems with long-range interaction: The spherical model

A method is suggested for the derivation of finite-size corrections in the thermodynamic functions of systems with pair interaction potential decaying at large distancesr asr ^{–d –} , whered is the space dimensionality and>0. It allows for a unified treatment of short-range (=2) and long-range (<2) interaction. The asymptotic analysis is illustrated by the mean spherical model of general geometryL ^d–d× ^d subject to periodic boundary conditions. The Fisher-Privman equation of state is generalized to arbitrary real values ofd, 0d. It is shown that the-expansion may be used to study the breakdown of standard finite-size scaling at the borderline dimensionalities.     

Axiomatic foundations of quantum physics: Critiques and misunderstandings. Piron's question-proposition system

Some of the most frequent misconceptions about axiomatic quantum physics are discussed with the aim of clarifying their true significance, taking Piron's approach as conceptual framework. In particular, we deal with the following topics: the wrong identification of Piron's questions and Mackey's questions, and some curious alleged empirical consequences; the role of propositions as suitable equivalence classes of questions, their partial order structure, and the paradoxical consequences of the erroneous assignment to questions of some lattice properties involving propositions; the logical and the empirical purport of some negative theorems; the standard Hilbert space model of the theory and the consequent metaphysical disasters related to some identifications, which are peculiar of this model. A controversy between Foulis-Piron-Randall and Hadjisavvas-Thieffine-Mugur-Schächter is analyzed on the basis of the proposed Hilbert space model (in which Piron's questions are realized by Hilbertian effects, i.e., linear bounded operatorsF such that which clarify the different point of views. As an example, we treat the unsharp localization operators inL ₂().     

Methodology of Analytic and Computational Studies on Quantum Systems

The concept of separation of procedures and the ST-transformation are briefly reviewed together with the equivalence theorem that a d-dimensional quantum system with finite-range interactions is equivalent to the corresponding (d+1)-dimentional classical system with finite-range interactions. This theorem yields the introduction of the quantum transfer-matrix method. Thermo quantum dynamics is formulated using the quantum transfer-matrix method. This new formulation has the great merit that the thermal average Q for any observable Q in the thermodynamic limit is expressed as an expectation value over a temperature-dependent state vector in the single (conjugate) Hilbert space in the contrast to the usage of the double Hilbert space in thermo field dynamics.     

General quantum measurements: Local transition maps

On the basis of four physically motivated assumptions, it is shown that a general quantum measurement of commuting observables can be represented by a local transition map, a special type of positive linear map on a von Neumann algebra. In the case that the algebra is the bounded operators on a Hilbert space, these local transition maps share two properties of von Neumann-type measurements: they decrease matrix elements of states and increase their entropy. It is also shown that local transition maps have all the properties of a conditional expectation of a von Neumann algebra onto a subalgebra except that their range is not restricted to the subalgebra. The notion of locality arises from requiring that a quantum measurement may be treated classically when restricted to the commutative algebra generated by the measured observables. The formalism established applies to observables with arbitrary spectrum. In the case that the spectrum is continuous we have only incomplete measurements.     

Instead of particles and fields: A micro realistic quantum “smearon” theory

A fully micro realistic, propensity version of quantum theory is proposed, according to which fundamental physical entities—neither particles nor fields—have physical characteristics which determine probabilistically how they interact with one another (rather than with measuring instruments). The version of quantum smearon theory proposed here does not modify the equations of orthodox quantum theory: rather it gives a radically new interpretation to these equations. It is argued that (i) there are strong general reasons for preferrring quantum smearon theory to orthodox quantum theory; (ii) the proposed change in physical interpretation leads quantum smearon theory to make experimental predictions subtly different from those of orthodox quantum theory. Some possible crucial experiments are considered.     

Affine connection in Hilbert space

A concise geometrodynamic approach to quantum theory is introduced, via a quo;quantum connectionQ _µ , which is the affine connection in Hilbert space. It is emphasized that this is the simplest and most natural interpretation of quantum mechanics in general relativity and yet has been largely neglected, so that much work remains to be done on it. The generalized Hilbert space has a simple Hermitian metric, but the precise form ofQ _µ remains to be determined. The quantum connection is matheamtically analogous to the spinor connection, which is discussed here for that reason, although the spinor connection arises in the first quantization, whereasQ _µ geometrizes the second quantization.     

The problem of time in parametrized theories

A common feature of reparametrization invariant theories is the difficulty involved in identifying an appropriate evolution parameter and in constructing a Hilbert space on states. Two well known examples of such theories are the relativistic point particle and the canonical formulation of quantum gravity. The strong analogy between them (specially for minisuperspace models) is considered in order to stress the correspondence between the localization problem and the problem of time, respectively. A possible solution for the first problem was given by the proper time formulation of relativistic quantum mechanics. Thus, we extrapolate the main outlines of such a formalism to the quantum gravity framework. As a consequence, a proposal to solve the problem of time arises.     

The 1/D expansion for classical magnets: Low-dimensional models with magnetic field

The field-dependent magnetizationm(H, T) of one- and two-dimensional classical magnets described by theD-component vector model is calculated analytically in the whole range of temperature and magnetic fields with the help of the 1/D expansion. In the first order in 1/D the theory reproduces with a good accuracy the temperature dependence of the zero-field susceptibility of antiferromagnets with maximum atT|J ₀|/D (J ₀ is the Fourier component of the exchange interaction) and describes for the first time the singular behavior of (H, T) at small temperatures and magnetic fields: lim _T0 lim _H0 (H, T)=1/(2|J ₀|)(1–1/D) and lim _H0 lim _T0 (H, T)=1/(2|J ₀|).