An eikonal perturbation theory having applications in hadron dynamics,I: Genesis

We develop a Lagrangian field-theoretic laboratory where one can rigorously investigate ideas and problems in high-energy hadronic interactions. In this paper (the first of a series) the general field-theoretic framework is outlined in the oversimplified model of a scalar-scalar Yukawa interaction. Functional methods are used to cast all Green's functions in an “operator eikonal” form. The eikonal approximations (EA's) in Lagrangian relativistic quantum mechanics are reviewed and discussed. We then derive an exact eikonal equation in quantum field theory. The perturbation theoretic solution of this equation leads to a new kind of eikonal perturbation theory (EPT) which generalizes simultaneously the EA's as well as the ordinary perturbation theory (OPT). Some salient features of Green's functions in the EPT are as follows: (i) the lowest-order EPT amplitudes correspond to a kind of semiclassical approximation; (ii) the lowest-order four-point amplitudes contain the high-energy part of the full radiatively corrected crossed ladder series, without vacuum polarization effects; (iii) for spin-one gluons, the latter amplitude develops diffractive behavior in the direct channel and, for spin-one and spin-zero gluons, Regge behavior in the crossed channel; (iv) for vanishing gluon mass, this amplitude develops poles, in the direct channel, corresponding to a positronium-like bound-state spectrum. Properties (i)–(iv) are generalized to EPT from EA's and are absent in OPT. Unlike in the case of EA's we also have that (v) the EPT is a quantum field theory, which properly includes selfinteraction effects; (vi) the EPT is an iterative perturbation theoretic scheme, which shares with OPT the properties of renormalizability.     

Description of physical systems

A general “logical” scheme, containing both classical and quantum mechanics, is developed on the basis of plausible axioms. We introduce the division of states and yes-no measurements into sharp and diffuse ones, and prove that sharp states possess their carriers. Owing to this result, the existence of lattice joins and meets is proved for a wide class of elements of the logic. This “semi-lattice” structure gives the familiar lattice picture for special cases of classical and quantum mechanics. The notion of quantum superposition is introduced in this general scheme. It is proved that if in a theory appear nontrivial quantum superpositions, then this theory is “undeterministic” and vise versa. Further analysis of the pure state space leads to the construction of the canonical embedding of the general logic into an orthomodular complete ortho-lattice. After defining the probability of transition between pure states, the pure state space appears to be a generalization of Mielnik's “probability space” of quantum mechanics.     

Atomicity and maximality in axiomatic quantum theory

The “weak-maximality” condition is proved to be equivalent to atomicity of the lattice of “propositions” (“decision effects”) in quantum axiomatics, satisfying certain simple conditions. In particular, it is shown that these conditions are fulfilled in Ludwig's axiomatic formulation of quantum mechanics. It is further proved that atomicity of the lattice of propositions follows from the condition of “strong maximality”. The maximality conditions have a clear physical interpretation. They are also fulfilled in the Hilbert space formulation of quantum mechanics. Since the atomicity property is used in theories based on Type I factors, the connection between atomicity and maximality seems of general interest. Useful theorems are proved.     

An analysis of the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen correlations in terms of events

It is shown that Bell's inequalities can be derived from two general assumptions bearing on events, namely the possibility of their retrodiction and their locality. The meaning of a possible violation of the retrodiction principle is interpreted by making use of the many-worlds formulation of quantum mechanics.     

Quantum information theory

A conceptual analysis of the classical information theory of Shannon (1948) shows that this theory cannot be directly generalized to the usual quantum case. The reason is that in the usual quantum mechanics of closed systems there is no general concept of joint and conditional probability. Using, however, the generalized quantum mechanics of open systems (A. Kossakowski 1972) and the generalized concept of observable (“semiobservable”, E.B. Davies and J.T. Lewis 1970) it is possible to construct a quantum information theory being then a straightforward generalization of Shannon's theory.     

Some Parameterized Quantum Midpoint and Quantum Trapezoid Type Inequalities for Convex Functions with Applications

Quantum information theory, an interdisciplinary field that includes computer science, information theory, philosophy, cryptography, and entropy, has various applications for quantum calculus. Inequalities and entropy functions have a strong association with convex functions. In this study, we prove quantum midpoint type inequalities, quantum trapezoidal type inequalities, and the quantum Simpson’s type inequality for differentiable convex functions using a new parameterized q-integral equality. The newly formed inequalities are also proven to be generalizations of previously existing inequities. Finally, using the newly established inequalities, we present some applications for quadrature formulas.     

Theory of filters

We consider the following statistical problem: suppose we have a light beam and a collection of semi-transparent windows which can be placed in the way of the beam. Assume that we are colour blind and we do not possess any colour sensitive detector. The question is, whether by only measurements of the decrease in the beam intensity in various sequences of windows we can recognize which among our windows are light beam filters absorbing photons according to certain definite rules? To answer this question a definition of physical systems is formulated independent of “quantum logic” and lattice theory, and a new idea of quantization is proposed. An operational definition of filters is given: in the framework of this definition certain nonorthodox classes of filters are admissible with a geometry incompatible to that assumed in orthodox quantum mechanics. This leads to an extension of the existing quantum mechanical structure generalizing the schemes proposed by Ludwig [10] and the present author [13]. In the resulting theory, the quantum world of orthodox quantum mechanics is not the only possible but is a special member of a vast family of “quantum worlds” mathematically admissible. An approximate classification of these worlds is given, and their possible relation to the quantization of non-linear fields is discussed. It turns out to be obvious that the convex set theory has a similar significance for quantum physics as the Riemannian geometry for space-time physics.     

A class of interface state models. I

The Green's function matching procedure of Garcia-Moliner and Rubio is applied to a class of one and three dimensional band models, based on separable Pseudopotentials, for which the Green's functions can be obtained in analytic form. Surface and interface states are obtained corresponding to the [100] and [110] surfaces for a simple cubic, single gap case.     

What is Quantum Mechanics? A Minimal Formulation

This paper presents a minimal formulation of nonrelativistic quantum mechanics, by which is meant a formulation which describes the theory in a succinct, self-contained, clear, unambiguous and of course correct manner. The bulk of the presentation is the so-called “microscopic theory”, applicable to any closed system S of arbitrary size N, using concepts referring to S alone, without resort to external apparatus or external agents. An example of a similar minimal microscopic theory is the standard formulation of classical mechanics, which serves as the template for a minimal quantum theory. The only substantive assumption required is the replacement of the classical Euclidean phase space by Hilbert space in the quantum case, with the attendant all-important phenomenon of quantum incompatibility. Two fundamental theorems of Hilbert space, the Kochen–Specker–Bell theorem and Gleason’s theorem, then lead inevitably to the well-known Born probability rule. For both classical and quantum mechanics, questions of physical implementation and experimental verification of the predictions of the theories are the domain of the macroscopic theory, which is argued to be a special case or application of the more general microscopic theory.     

Shells and plates loaded by dynamic moments with special attention to rotating point moments

The response of thin shells to line or point moment excitation is formulated by way of distributed moment fields. Twisting moments in the tangent plane are part of this formulation. The approach is illustrated by using Love's thin shell theory, but is valid for any other thin shell theory as well. Dirac delta functions are used to describe line and point moments. As a first example, the response of a plate to a rotating moment is evaluated and shown to be identical to the solution obtained by Bolleter and Soedel [1] by a Green function approach. The three-directional response of a circular cylindrical shell to a rotating moment is given as the second example. It is a technically significant case that has not been treated in the literature before.     

Schwinger algebra for quaternionic quantum mechanics

It is shown that the measurement algebra of Schwinger, a characterization of the properties of Pauli measurements of the first and second kinds, forming the foundation of his formulation of quantum mechanics over the complex field, has a quaternionic generalization. In this quaternionic measurement algebra some of the notions of quaternionic quantum mechanics are clarified. The conditions imposed on the form of the corresponding quantum field theory are studied, and the quantum fields are constructed. It is shown that the resulting quantum fields coincide with the fermion or boson annihilation-creation operators obtained by Razon and Horwitz in the limit in which the number of particles in physical states N→∞.     

On the geometrization of quantum mechanics

Nonrelativistic quantum mechanics is commonly formulated in terms of wavefunctions (probability amplitudes) obeying the static and the time-dependent Schrödinger equations (SE). Despite the success of this representation of the quantum world a wave–particle duality concept is required to reconcile the theory with observations (experimental measurements). A first solution to this dichotomy was introduced in the de Broglie–Bohm theory according to which a pilot-wave (solution of the SE) is guiding the evolution of particle trajectories. Here, I propose a geometrization of quantum mechanics that describes the time evolution of particles as geodesic lines in a curved space, whose curvature is induced by the quantum potential. This formulation allows therefore the incorporation of all quantum effects into the geometry of space–time, as it is the case for gravitation in the general relativity.     

Some non-perturbative semi-classical methods in quantum field theory (a pedagogical review)

A pedagogical introduction is given to non-perturbative semi-classical methods for finding solutions to quantum field theories. Both the weak coupling method based on a time-independent classical solution, and the WKB method based on all periodic orbits are developed in detail, proceeding ffrom elementary quantum mechanics to field theory in stages. Both methods are then illustrated in model field theories. The [λø⁴]₂ theory to which the weak coupling method is applied yields a new family of “kink” states whose properties are discussed.The WKB method is illustrated by quantizing “soliton” and “doublet” solutions of the two-dimensional sine-Gordon theory. The results are compared to consequences of Coleman's equivalence proof relating this system to the massive Thirring model. The speculation that solitons may be fermions is discussed, along with indications that the WKB method may ne yielding exact mass ratios for this theory.A final section is devoted to solutions of more realistic four-dimensional models containing fermions, internal symmetry etc. Some quark-confinement models and vortex type solutions come under this category. General remarks are made on this family of solutions, and illustrated using 't Hooft's monopole solution.     

A note on Keldysh's perturbation formalism

The expansion theorem of quantum field theoy relating Heisenberg operators to asymptotic free-field operators is rewritten by means of the time-path technique, originally due to Schwinger, which to date has only found application in statistical mechanics. The theorem is combined with Bogoliubov's initial condition of vanishing correlations in the infinite past to rederive Keldysh's perturbation scheme for non-equilibrium statistical Green's functions.     

Probability Representation of Quantum States

The review of new formulation of conventional quantum mechanics where the quantum states are identified with probability distributions is presented. The invertible map of density operators and wave functions onto the probability distributions describing the quantum states in quantum mechanics is constructed both for systems with continuous variables and systems with discrete variables by using the Born’s rule and recently suggested method of dequantizer–quantizer operators. Examples of discussed probability representations of qubits (spin-1/2, two-level atoms), harmonic oscillator and free particle are studied in detail. Schrödinger and von Neumann equations, as well as equations for the evolution of open systems, are written in the form of linear classical–like equations for the probability distributions determining the quantum system states. Relations to phase–space representation of quantum states (Wigner functions) with quantum tomography and classical mechanics are elucidated.     

The equivalence of Bell's inequality and the Nash inequality in a quantum game-theoretic setting

The interaction of competing agents is described by classical game theory. It is now well known that this can be extended to the quantum domain, where agents obey the rules of quantum mechanics. This is of emerging interest for exploring quantum foundations, quantum protocols, quantum auctions, quantum cryptography, and the dynamics of quantum cryptocurrency, for example. In this paper, we investigate two-player games in which a strategy pair can exist as a Nash equilibrium when the games obey the rules of quantum mechanics. Using a generalized Einstein–Podolsky–Rosen (EPR) setting for two-player quantum games, and considering a particular strategy pair, we identify sets of games for which the pair can exist as a Nash equilibrium only when Bell's inequality is violated. We thus determine specific games for which the Nash inequality becomes equivalent to Bell's inequality for the considered strategy pair.     

Disagreement with Garuccio,Popper and Vigier

When applied properly, the accepted quantum mechanics conflicts neither the tentative “SIQM” of Garuccio, Popper and Vigier nor Maxwell's theory.