Quantum Theta Functions and Gabor Frames for Modulation Spaces

Representations of the celebrated Heisenberg commutation relations in quantum mechanics (and their exponentiated versions) form the starting point for a number of basic constructions, both in mathematics and mathematical physics (geometric quantization, quantum tori, classical and quantum theta functions) and signal analysis (Gabor analysis). In this paper we will try to bridge the two communities, represented by the two co-authors: that of noncommutative geometry and that of signal analysis. After providing a brief comparative dictionary of the two languages, we will show, e.g. that the Janssen representation of Gabor frames with generalized Gaussians as Gabor atoms yields in a natural way quantum theta functions, and that the Rieffel scalar product and associativity relations underlie both the functional equations for quantum thetas and the Fundamental Identity of Gabor analysis.     

Gauge covariance of the Aharonov–Bohm phase in noncommutative quantum mechanics

The gauge covariance of the wave function phase factor in noncommutative quantum mechanics (NCQM) is discussed. We show that the naive path integral formulation and an approach where one shifts the coordinates of NCQM in the presence of a background vector potential leads to the gauge non-covariance of the phase factor. Due to this fact, the Aharonov–Bohm phase in NCQM which is evaluated through the path-integral or by shifting the coordinates is neither gauge invariant nor gauge covariant. We show that the gauge covariant Aharonov–Bohm effect should be described by using the noncommutative Wilson lines, what is consistent with the noncommutative Schrödinger equation. This approach can ultimately be used for deriving an analogue of the Dirac quantization condition for the magnetic monopole.     

Internal geometry of hadron resonances

Motivated by previous work on high-energy quantum mechanics, a simple model is devised to study the internal geometry of hadron resonances. In this model we assume new basic canonical commutation relations between the (internal) coordinate and momentum operators of the hadronic quantum system. By systematically imposing Lie algebra commutation relations between these and other observables, we discuss the free and bound particle problems, identifying in each case the corresponding internal symmetries. For the bound particle problem, which models quark confinement, this symmetry turns out to be characterized by Dirac's two-oscillator representation of theO(3, 2) de Sitter group.     

Constraints in Noncommutative Chern-Simons Mechanics and Hall Effect

We study noncommutative Chern-Simons mechanics and noncommutative Hall effect by Dirac theory in this paper. The magnetic field is introduced by means of minimal coupling. We show that the constraint set will enlarge when a dimensionless parameter takes zero value. In order to illustrate our idea, we study two specific models. One is noncommutative Chern-Simons mechanics which describes a charged particle on a noncommutative plane interacting with a perpendicular uniform magnetic field. The other is a charged particle on a noncommutative plane with a background uniform electromagnetic field. We show that when the dimensionless parameter tends to zero, the particle will live in a lower dimensional space in both models. Noncommutative Chern-Simons mechanics will reduce to a harmonic oscillator and the classical equations of motion of a charged particle in the background of a uniform electromagnetic field are governed by classical Hall law when the dimensionless parameter tends to zero.     

Gauge invariance and quantization applied to atom and nucleon internal structure

The prevailing theoretical quark and gluon momentum, orbital angular momentum and spin operators, satisfy either gauge invariance or the corresponding canonical commutation relation, but one never has these operators which satisfy both except the quark spin. The conflicts between gauge invariance and the canonical quantization requirement of these operators are discussed. A new set of quark and gluon momentum, orbital angular momentum and spin operators, which satisfy both gauge invariance and canonical momentum and angular momentum commutation relation, are proposed. To achieve such a proper decomposition the key point is to separate the gauge field into the pure gauge and the gauge covariant parts. The same conflicts also exist in QED and quantum mechanics, and have been solved in the same manner. The impacts of this new decomposition to the nucleon internal structure are discussed.     

An alternative formulation of Hall effect and quantum phases in noncommutative space

A recent method of constructing quantum mechanics in noncommutative coordinates, alternative to implying noncommutativity by means of star product is discussed. Within this approach we study Hall effect as well as quantum phases in noncommutative coordinates. The θ-deformed phases which we obtain are velocity independent.     

Unified equation of motion of a test charge in electromagnetic and gravitational fields

This work starts by generalizing in a gravitational field the fundamental quantum mechanical commutation relations between the coordinates of a charged test particle and its momentum. Assuming that the components of the momentum of this test charge obey a noncommutative algebra in the presence of an electromagnetic field, it is proved that the commutator can be identified with the electromagnetic field tensor. Using these results, the equation of motion of this charged object in the presence of both the electromagnetic and gravitational fields is derived from their field equations. In this work, the laws of motion of a particle in the electromagnetic and gravitational fields has been unified with the field equations. Although the field equations themselves are not directly unified, this work strongly suggests that the scheme may act as a possible framework for the unification of at least gravitational and electromagnetic interactions.     

Projective representations of the inhomogeneous Hamilton group: Noninertial symmetry in quantum mechanics

Symmetries in quantum mechanics are realized by the projective representations of the Lie group as physical states are defined only up to a phase. A cornerstone theorem shows that these representations are equivalent to the unitary representations of the central extension of the group. The formulation of the inertial states of special relativistic quantum mechanics as the projective representations of the inhomogeneous Lorentz group, and its nonrelativistic limit in terms of the Galilei group, are fundamental examples. Interestingly, neither of these symmetries include the Weyl–Heisenberg group; the hermitian representations of its algebra are the Heisenberg commutation relations that are a foundation of quantum mechanics. The Weyl–Heisenberg group is a one dimensional central extension of the abelian group and its unitary representations are therefore a particular projective representation of the abelian group of translations on phase space. A theorem involving the automorphism group shows that the maximal symmetry that leaves the Heisenberg commutation relations invariant is essentially a projective representation of the inhomogeneous symplectic group. In the nonrelativistic domain, we must also have invariance of Newtonian time. This reduces the symmetry group to the inhomogeneous Hamilton group that is a local noninertial symmetry of the Hamilton equations. The projective representations of these groups are calculated using the Mackey theorems for the general case of a nonabelian normal subgroup.     

Nucleon internal structure: a new set of quark, gluon momentum, angular momentum operators and parton distribution functions

It is unavoidable to deal with the quark and gluon momentum and angular momentum contributions to the nucleon momentum and spin in the study of nucleon internal structure. However we never have the quark and gluon momentum, orbital angular momentum and gluon spin operators which satisfy both the gauge invariance and the canonical momentum and angular momentum commutation relation. The conflicts between the gauge invariance and canonical quantization requirement of these operators are discussed. A new set of quark and gluon momentum, orbital angular momentum and spin operators, which satisfy both the gauge invariance and canonical momentum and angular momentum commutation relation, are proposed. The key point to achieve such a proper decomposition is to separate the gauge field into the pure gauge and the gauge covariant parts. The same conflicts also exist in QED and quantum mechanics and have been solved in the same manner. The impacts of this new decomposition to the nucleon internal structure are discussed.     

Noncommutative geometry of the quantum clock

We introduce a model of noncommutative geometry that gives rise to the uncertainty relations recently derived from the discussion of a quantum clock. We investigate the dynamics of a free particle in this model from the point of view of doubly special relativity and discuss the geodesic motion in a Schwarzschild background.     

A path integral to quantize spin

We present a model for a classical spinning particle, characterized by spin magnitude, arbitrary but fixed, and continuously varying direction. A gauge freedom of the model reflects the choice of canonical coordinates in the phase space, which is spherical. We formulate the path integral for the model and find, unexpectedly, that the phase space must be punctured at the poles. It then follows that both the total spin and spin projection along any axis are quantized. The model has rotational invariance and yields the usual quantum mechanics of spin, including commutation relations, in a simple way.     

Quantum Mechanics in Curved Configuration Space

Different approaches are compared to formulation of quantum mechanics of a particle on the curved spaces. At first, the canonical, quasiclassical, and path integration formalisms are considered for quantization of geodesic motion on the Riemannian configuration spaces. A unique rule of ordering of operators in the canonical formalism and a unique definition of the path integral are established and, thus, a part of ambiguities in the quantum counterpart of geodesic motion is removed. A geometric interpretation is proposed for noninvariance of the quantum mechanics on coordinate transformations. An approach alternative to the quantization of geodesic motion is surveyed, which starts with the quantum theory of a neutral scalar field. Consequences of this alternative approach and the three formalisms of quantization are compared. In particular, the field theoretical approach generates a deformation of the canonical commutation relations between operators of coordinates and momenta of a particle. A cosmological consequence of the deformation is presented in short.     

Noncommutative coordinate picture of the quantum phase space

We illustrate an isomorphic representation of the observable algebra for quantum mechanics in terms of the functions on the projective Hilbert space, and its Hilbert space analog, with a noncommutative product in terms of explicit coordinates and discuss the physical and dynamical picture. The isomorphism is then used as a base for the translation of the differential symplectic geometry of the infinite dimensional manifolds onto the observable algebra as a noncommutative geometry. Hence, we obtain the latter from the physical theory itself. We have essentially an extended formalism of the Schr̎odinger versus Heisenberg picture which we describe mathematically as like a coordinate map from the phase space, for which we have presented argument to be seen as the quantum model of the physical space, to the noncommutative geometry coordinated by the six position and momentum operators. The observable algebra is taken essentially as an algebra of formal functions on the latter operators. The work formulates the intuitive idea that the noncommutative geometry can be seen as an alternative, noncommutative coordinate, picture of familiar quantum phase space, at least so long as the symplectic geometry is concerned.     

Quantization of contact manifolds and thermodynamics

The physical variables of classical thermodynamics occur in conjugate pairs such as pressure/volume, entropy/temperature, chemical potential/particle number. Nevertheless, and unlike in classical mechanics, there are an odd number of such thermodynamic co-ordinates. We review the formulation of thermodynamics and geometrical optics in terms of contact geometry. The Lagrange bracket provides a generalization of canonical commutation relations. Then we explore the quantization of this algebra by analogy to the quantization of mechanics. The quantum contact algebra is associative, but the constant functions are not represented by multiples of the identity: a reflection of the classical fact that Lagrange brackets satisfy the Jacobi identity but not the Leibnitz identity for derivations. We verify that this ‘quantization’ describes correctly the passage from geometrical to wave optics as well. As an example, we work out the quantum contact geometry of odd-dimensional spheres.     

Properties of the covariant formulation of superstring theories

The covariant two-dimensional action principle that describes the dynamics of free superstrings in a Minkowski background is reviewed. Covariant gauge conditions are formulated, which simplify the equations of motion of the superspace coordinates to free equations. In this gauge there are bosonic and fermionic constraints whose generators give a supersymmetric generalization of the Virasoro algebra. As in certain supersymmetric field theories, closure of the algebra requires using the equations of motion. Covariant constrained bracket relations are obtained for the classical theory, but it is very difficult to extend them to quantum mechanical commutation relations. Interaction vertices satisfying supersymmetry and the necessary gauge conditions are constructed. They reduce in a special frame to ones found in earlier work in the light-cone gauge, and then can be interpreted quantum mechanically.