This is a list of last week’s papers on quantum foundations published in the various journals or uploaded to the preprint servers such as arxiv.org and PhilSci Archive.
Latest Results for Foundations of Physics
on 2015-2-06 12:00am GMT
Abstract
There are at least three different notions of degrees of freedom (DF) that are important in comparison of quantum and classical dynamical systems. One is related to the type of dynamical equations and inequivalent initial conditions, the other to the structure of the system and the third to the properties of dynamical orbits. In this paper, definitions and comparison in classical and quantum systems of the tree types of DF are formulated and discussed. In particular, we concentrate on comparison of the number of the so called dynamical DF in a quantum system and its classical model. The comparison involves analyzes of relations between integrability of the classical model, dynamical symmetry and separability of the quantum and the corresponding classical systems and dynamical generation of appropriately defined quantumness. The analyzes is conducted using illustrative typical systems. A conjecture summarizing the observed relation between generation of quantumness by the quantum dynamics and dynamical properties of the classical model is formulated.
Schrodinger Evolution for the Universe: Reparametrization. (arXiv:1502.01225v1 [gr-qc])
on 2015-2-05 3:07am GMT
Authors: Sean Gryb, Karim Thebault
Starting from a generalized Hamilton-Jacobi formalism, we develop a new framework for constructing observables and their evolution in theories invariant under global time reparametrizations. Our proposal relaxes the usual Dirac prescription for the observables of a totally constrained system (`perennials’) and allows one to recover the influential partial and complete observables approach in a particular limit. Difficulties such as the non-unitary evolution of the complete observables in terms of certain partial observables are explained as a breakdown of this limit. Identification of our observables (`mutables’) relies upon a physical distinction between gauge symmetries that exist at the level of histories and states (`Type 1′), and those that exist at the level of histories and not states (`Type 2′). This distinction resolves a tension in the literature concerning the physical interpretation of the partial observables and allows for a richer class of observables in the quantum theory. There is the potential for the application of our proposal to the quantization of gravity when understood in terms of the Shape Dynamics formalism.
Testing Spontaneous Wave-Function Collapse Models on Classical Mechanical Oscillators
PRL: General Physics: Statistical and Quantum Mechanics, Quantum Information, etc.
on 2015-2-04 3:00pm GMT
Author(s): Lajos Diósi
We show that the heating effect of spontaneous wave-function collapse models implies an experimentally significant increment ΔTsp of equilibrium temperature in a mechanical oscillator. The obtained new form ΔTsp is linear in the oscillator’s relaxation time τ and independent of the mass. The oscilla…
[Phys. Rev. Lett. 114, 050403] Published Wed Feb 04, 2015
Comment on QBism and locality in quantum mechanics. (arXiv:1502.00123v1 [quant-ph])
on 2015-2-03 1:55am GMT
Authors: Michael Nauenberg
A critique to the article by C.A. Fuchs, N.D. Mermin, and R.Schack, “An introduction to QBism with and application to the locality of quantum mechanics” that appeared in Am. J. Phys. 82 (8), 749-754 (2014)
Nature Physics – Issue – nature.com science feeds
on 2015-2-03 12:00am GMT
Nature Physics 11, 108 (2015). doi:10.1038/nphys3167
Authors: Peter Hänggi & Peter Talkner
Fluctuation theorems go beyond the linear response regime to describe systems far from equilibrium. But what happens to these theorems when we enter the quantum realm? The answers, it seems, are now coming thick and fast.
Measurements on the reality of the wavefunction
Nature Physics – AOP – nature.com science feeds
on 2015-2-02 12:00am GMT
Nature Physics. doi:10.1038/nphys3233
Authors: M. Ringbauer, B. Duffus, C. Branciard, E. G. Cavalcanti, A. G. White & A. Fedrizzi
Latest Results for International Journal of Theoretical Physics
on 2015-2-01 12:00am GMT
Abstract
We give answer to a previous experiment that time ago was proposed by G. Ghirardi evidencing that in such last years detailed experiments have been performed on this matter giving convincing results and that still more experiments, rather simple and not expensive, may be realized.
A formal framework for the study of the notion of undefined particle number in quantum mechanics
on 2015-2-01 12:00am GMT
Abstract
It is usually stated that quantum mechanics presents problems with the identity of particles, the most radical position—supported by E. Schrödinger—asserting that elementary particles are not individuals. But the subject goes deeper, and it is even possible to obtain states with an undefined particle number. In this work we present a set theoretical framework for the description of undefined particle number states in quantum mechanics which provides a precise logical meaning for this notion. This construction goes in the line of solving a problem posed by Y. Manin, namely, to incorporate quantum mechanical notions at the foundations of mathematics. We also show that our system is capable of representing quantum superpositions.