On Mach's principle

We propose the postulate that the resultant force acting on any body is zero. With this postulate and with a Weber force law for gravitation, we obtain equations of motion and conclude that all inertial forces are due to gravitational interaction with other bodies in the universe, as suggested by Mach. We then obtain the same value for the advance of the perhelion of the planets as is given by general relativity. All this is accomplished in a strictly relational theory. Finally, we relate these points to topical questions of electrodynamics raised by the experimental studies of Graneau and Pappas.     

The Measurement Process in the Generalized Contexts Formalism for Quantum Histories

In the interpretations of quantum mechanics involving quantum histories there is no collapse postulate and the measurement is considered as a quantum interaction between the measured system and the measured instrument. For two consecutive non ideal measurements on the same system, we prove that both pointer indications at the end of each measurement are compatible properties in our generalized context formalism for quantum histories. Inmediately after the first measurement an effective state for the measured system is deduced from the formalism, generalizing the state that would be obtained by applying the state collapse postulate.     

General aspects of stochastic quantum field theory for extended particles

Theories of free fields describing spin zero and1/2 extended particles are derived within the stochastic quantum field theory (SQFT) framework. Covariant SQFT analogs of free Schwinger functions and Feynman propagators are obtained, and explicit expressions for charge and four-momentum operators are derived which exhibit a remarkable formal resemblance to their local counterparts. It is shown that the essential results of the LSZ formalism for interacting fields also have their counterpart in SQFT, and that the same holds true of Wightman's reconstruction theorem. Fields on quantum space-time do not obey the local (anti)-commutativity postulate, but we argue that due to the uncertainty principle this postulate cannot be operationally justified as an expression of microcausality despite the customary identification of the two notions. An operationally consistent microcausality condition is proposed instead.This work was supported in part by an NRC research grant.     

A stochastic approach to nonequilibrium thermodynamics of chemical reaction system

Nonequilibrium thermodynamics is formulated by combining the nonlinear Fokker-Planck equation with the so-called Gibbs entropy postulate. The entropy production thus derived consists of two parts: one is of the same form as the usual entropy production and the other is the fluctuating part attendant on it. The evolution criterion can easily be verified in the stochastic framework. For illustration the system governed by the linear Fokker-Planck equation is in detail discussed.     

On the consistency of the postulates of special relativity

The special theory of relativity is based on two postulates: (I) All inertial frames are equivalent for the performance of physical experiments; and (II) the velocity of light is a universal constant. It is shown that if postulate I is true, then postulate II is not true, and if postulate II is true, then postulate I is not true. Further, it is shown that the only possible velocity consistent with postulate I follows the rule that the velocity of light with respect to the observer is equal to the velocity of light with respect to the source plus the velocity of the source with respect to the observer.     

A Possible Modification of Einstein's Theory of General Relativity

This article suggests a new metric theory of gravitation, in which metric field is determined not only by matter and nongravitational field but also by vector graviton field, and in principle there is no need to introduce the Einstein's tensor. In order to satisfy automatically the geodesic postulate, an additional coordinate condition is needed.For the spherically symmetric static field, it leads us to quite different conclusions from those of Einstein's general relativity in the interior region of the surface of infinite redshift. Accurate to the first order of GM/r, it obtains the same results about the four experimental tests of general relativity.     

Quantum mechanics without the projection postulate and its realistic interpretation

It is widely held that quantum mechanics is the first scientific theory to present scientifically internal, fundamental difficulties for a realistic interpretation (in the philosophical sense). The standard (Copenhagen) interpretation of the quantum theory is often described as the inevitable instrumentalistic response. It is the purpose of the present article to argue that quantum theory doesnot present fundamental new problems to a realistic interpretation. The formalism of quantum theory has the same states—it will be argued—as the formalisms of older physical theories and is capable of the same kinds of philosophical interpretation. This result is reached via an analysis of what it means to give a realistic interpretation to a theory. The main point of difference between quantum mechanics and other theories—as far as the possibilities of interpretation are concerned—is the special treatment given tomeasurement by the projection postulate. But it is possible to do without this postulate. Moreover, rejection of the projection postulate does not, in spite of what is often maintained in the literature, automatically lead to the many-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics. A realistic interpretation is possible in which only the reality ofone (our) world is recognized. It is argued that the Copenhagen interpretation as expounded by Bohr is not in conflict with the here proposed realistic interpretation of quantum theory.     

Bell’s inequality, Einstein, Podolsky, Rosen arguments and von Neumann’s projection postulate

This paper is devoted to analysis of the role of projection postulate in Einstein, Podolsky, and Rosen-EPR [1] argument against completeness of QM. It will be shown that the EPR considerations do not match with von Neumann’s quantum measurement theory (QMT). The root of EPR’s conclusion on incompleteness of QM is the misuse of von Neumann’s projection postulate. EPR applied this postulate to observables with degenerate spectra (which is totally forbidden by von Neumann’s axiomatics of QM). Consequences for Bell’s inequality and quantum information theory are analyzed. This paper might stimulate discussion on the role of projection postulate in quantum information theory, especially quantum cryptography and teleportation.     

Wave-Packet Collapse Based on Weak Repeatability or Covariant Condition

The conflict between the dynamics postulate(unitary evolution) and the measurement postulate(wavepacket collapse) of quantum mechanics has been reconciled by Zurek from an information transfer perspective [Phys.Rev. A 76(2007) 052110], and has further been extended to a more general scenario [Phys. Rev. A 87(2013) 052111].In this paper, we reconsider Zurek's new derivation by using weak repeatability postulate or covariant condition instead of repeatability postulate.     

Necessity of acceleration‐induced nonlocality

The purpose of this paper is to explain clearly why nonlocality must be an essential part of the theory of relativity. In the standard local version of this theory, Lorentz invariance is extended to accelerated observers by assuming that they are pointwise inertial. This locality postulate is exact when dealing with phenomena involving classical point particles and rays of radiation, but breaks down for electromagnetic fields, as field properties in general cannot be measured instantaneously. The problem is corrected in nonlocal relativity by supplementing the locality postulate with a certain average over the past world line of the observer.     

Analysis of the role of von Neumann’s projection postulate in the canonical scheme of quantum teleportation

Modern development of quantum technologies based on quantum information theory (in particular, laser-based quantum-information technologies) stimulated the analysis of proposed computational, cryptographic, and teleportational schemes from the viewpoint of quantum foundations. It is evident that not all mathematical calculations performed in the complex Hilbert space can directly be realized in the physical space. Recently, analyzing the original EPR paper, we found that their argument was based on the misuse of von Neumann’s projection postulate. In contrast to von Neumann, Einstein, Podolsky, and Rosen (EPR) applied this postulate to the observables represented by the operators with degenerate spectra. It was completely forbidden by von Neumann’s axiomatics of quantum mechanics. It is impossible to repeat the EPR considerations within the von Neumann’s framework. We analyze here quantum teleportation by taking into account von Neumann’s projection postulate. Our analysis shows that the so-called quantum teleportation is impossible within the von Neumann’s framework.     

Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen paradox,Bell's inequality,and the projection postulate

Our aim is to understand the role of implicit assumptions which has been used by Einstein, Podolsky, and Rosen (EPR) in their famous article [Phys. Rev., 47, 777 (1935)] devoted to the so-called EPR paradox. We found that the projection postulate plays a crucial role in the EPR argument. It seems that EPR made a mistake in this paper — the projection postulate was applied not in its original form (as it has been formulated in von Neumann's book [Mathematical Foundations of Quantum mechanics, Princeton University Press (1955)] but in the form which was later formalized as Lüders' postulate [Ann. Phys., Lpz. 8, 322 (1951)]. Von Neumann's postulate was crucially modified by extending it to observables with degenerate spectra. This modification is the real source of “quantum nonlocality.” The use of the original von Neumann postulate eliminates this problem — instead of (an action at a distance)-nonlocality, we obtain a classical measurement nonlocality, which is related to the synchronization of two measurements (produced on the two parts of a composite system). If one uses correctly von Neumann's projection postulate, no “elements of reality” can be assigned to entangled systems. Talk presented at the oral issue of J. Russ. Laser Res. dedicated to the memory of Professor Vladimir A. Isakov, Professor Alexander S. Shumovsky, and Professor Andrei V. Vinogradov held in Moscow February 21–22, 2008.     

Measurement interpretation and information measures in general probabilistic theory

The incompatibility of dynamics postulate (unitary evolution) and the measurement postulate (wave-packet collapse) of quantum mechanics has recently been solved by Zurek from an information transfer perspective. Luo gave his derivation by relaxing the repeatability postulate. In this paper, we reconsider Luo’s derivation in the setting of general probabilistic theory (GPT). We also introduce the concept of sub- and super-fidelity in GPT and discuss their properties.     

On Bub's misunderstanding of Bell's locality argument

Bub's criticism of Bell's locality postulate is discussed. The locality postulate is explained, and it is shown that Bub is in fact arguing against a class of theories which are subject to stronger restrictions than this postulate, and therefore his refutation of the latter is misleading.     

A Generalized Quantum Theory

In quantum mechanics, the selfadjoint Hilbert space operators play a triple role as observables, generators of the dynamical groups and statistical operators defining the mixed states. One might expect that this is typical of Hilbert space quantum mechanics, but it is not. The same triple role occurs for the elements of a certain ordered Banach space in a much more general theory based upon quantum logics and a conditional probability calculus (which is a quantum logical model of the Lüders-von Neumann measurement process). It is shown how positive groups, automorphism groups, Lie algebras and statistical operators emerge from one major postulate—the non-existence of third-order interference [third-order interference and its impossibility in quantum mechanics were discovered by Sorkin (Mod Phys Lett A 9:3119–3127, 1994)]. This again underlines the power of the combination of the conditional probability calculus with the postulate that there is no third-order interference. In two earlier papers, its impact on contextuality and nonlocality had already been revealed.     

One Hair Postulate for Hawking Radiation as Tunneling Process

For Hawking radiation, treated as a tunneling process, the no-hair theorem of black hole together with the law of energy conservation is utilized to postulate that the tunneling rate only depends on the external qualities （e.g., the mass for the Schwarzschild black hole） and the energy of the radiated particle. This postulate is justified by the WKB approximation for calculating the tunneling probability. Based on this postulate, a general formula for the tunneling probability is derived without referring to the concrete form of black hole metric. This formula implies an intrinsic correlation between the successive processes of the black hole radiation of two or more particles. It also suggests a kind of entropy conservation and thus resolves the puzzle of black hole information loss in some sense.     

Search for extra dimensions in boson and fermion pair production in ee interactions at LEP

Extra spatial dimensions are proposed by recent theories that postulate the scale of gravity to be of the same order as the electroweak scale. A sizeable interaction between gravitons and Standard Model particles is then predicted. Effects of these new interactions in boson and fermion pair production are searched for in the data sample collected at centre-of-mass energies above the Z pole by the L3 detector at LEP. In addition, the direct production of a graviton associated with a Z boson is investigated. No statistically significant hints for the existence of these effects are found and lower limits in excess of 1 TeV are derived on the scale of this new theory of gravity.