The two-dimensional Dirac Hamiltonian with equal scalar and vector potentials has been proved commuting with the deformed orbital angular momentum $L$. When the potential takes the Coulomb form, the system has an SO(3) symmetry, and similarly the harmonic oscillator potential possesses an SU(2) symmetry. The generators of the symmetric groups are derived for these two systems separately. The corresponding energy spectra are yielded naturally from the Casimir operators. Their non-relativistic limits are also discussed.
We propose a generalization of pseudospin and spin symmetries, the SU(2) symmetries of Dirac equation with scalar and vector mean-field potentials originally found independently in the 70's by Smith and Tassie, and Bell and Ruegg. As relativistic symmetries, they have been extensively researched and applied to several physical systems for the last 18 years. The main feature of these symmetries is the suppression of the spin-orbit coupling either in the upper or lower components of the Dirac spinor, thereby turning the respective second-order equations into Schrödinger-like equations, i.e, with…
We show that the conditions which originate the spin and pseudospin symmetries in the Dirac equation are the same that produce equivalent energy spectra of relativistic spin-1/2 and spin-0 particles in the presence of vector and scalar potentials. The conclusions do not depend on the particular shapes of the potentials and can be important in different fields of physics. When both scalar and vector potentials are spherical, these conditions for isospectrality imply that the spin-orbit and Darwin terms of either the upper component or the lower component of the Dirac spinor vanish, making it eq…
Dirac Hamiltonian is scaled in the atomic units $\hbar =m=1$, which allows us to take the non-relativistic limit by setting the Compton wavelength $% λ\rightarrow 0 $. The evolutions of the spin and pseudospin symmetries towards the non-relativistic limit are investigated by solving the Dirac equation with the parameter $λ$. With $λ$ transformation from the original Compton wavelength to 0, the spin splittings decrease monotonously in all spin doublets, and the pseudospin splittings increase in several pseudospin doublets, no change, or even reduce in several other pseudospin doublets. The var…
In this paper we consider $Z_3$-graded topological symmetries (TSs) in one dimensional quantum mechanics. We give a classification of one dimensional quantum systems possessing these symmetries and show that different classes correspond to a positive integer $N$.
The Hellmann potential is a superposition potential that consists of an attractive Coulomb potential and a Yukawa potential. By using the generalized parametric Nikiforov-Uvarov (NU) method, we have studied the approximate analytical solutions of the Dirac equation with the Hellmann potential including a Coulomb-like tensor potential for arbitrary spin-orbit quantum number k under the presence of exact spin and pseudo-spin (p-spin) symmetries. We show that tensor interaction removes degeneracies between spin and pseudospin doublets. As particular cases, we found the energy levels of non-relati…
In the presence of spin and pseudospin (p-spin) symmetries, the approximate analytical bound states of the Dirac equation for scalar-vector-tensor Hulthén potentials are obtained with any arbitrary spin-orbit coupling number using the Pekeris approximation. The Hulthén tensor interaction is studied instead of the commonly used Coulomb or linear terms. The generalized parametric Nikiforov-Uvarov (NU) method is used to obtain energy eigenvalues and corresponding wave functions in their closed forms. We show that tensor interaction removes degeneracies between spin and p-spin doublets. Some numer…
It is shown how nonlinear versions of quantum mechanics can be refolmulated in terms of a (linear) C*-algebraic theory. Then also their symmetries are described as automorphisms of the correspondong C*-algebra. The requirement of "conservation of transition probabilities" is discussed.
The Dirac equation is solved to obtain its approximate bound states for a spin-1/2 particle in the presence of trigonometric Poschl-Teller (tPT) potential including a Coulomb-like tensor interaction with arbitrary spin-orbit quantum number $κ$ using an approximation scheme to substitute the centrifugal terms k(k+1)/r^2. In view of spin and pseudo-spin (p-spin) symmetries, the relativistic energy eigenvalues and the corresponding two-component wave functions of a particle moving in the field of attractive and repulsive tPT potentials are obtained using the asymptotic iteration method (AIM). We …
Approximate analytical bound-state solutions of the Dirac particle in the field of both attractive and repulsive RM potentials including Coulomb-like tensor (CLT) potential are obtained for arbitrary spin-orbit quantum number The Pekeris approximation is used to deal with the spin-orbit coupling terms In the presence of exact spin and pseudospin (p-spin) symmetries, the energy eigenvalues and the corresponding normalized two-component wave functions are found by using the parametric generalization of the Nikiforov-Uvarov (NU) method. The numerical results show that the CLT interaction removes …
The authors of the recent paper [1] boldly claim to discover a new fully quantum approach to foundation of statistical mechanics: "Our conceptually novel approach is free of mathematically ambiguous notions such as probability, ensemble, randomness, etc." The aim of this note is to show that this approach is neither specific for quantum systems nor really conceptually different from the standard textbook arguments supporting microcanonical or canonical ensembles in statistical mechanics.
The probability representation of quantum and classical statistical mechanics is discussed. Symplectic tomography, center-of-mass tomography, and spin tomography are studied. The connection of tomographic probabilities with dynamic symmetries like symplectic group is considered. Entropic uncertainty relations and inequalities for spin tomograms are reviewed.
In this work, we give the wave equations of relativistic and non-relativistic quantum mechanics which are different from the Schrödinger and Klein-Gordon equation, and we also give the new relativistic wave equation of a charged particle in an electromagnetic field
In the Hilbert space formulation of classical mechanics (CM), pioneered by Koopman and von Neumann (KvN), there are potentially more observables that in the standard approach to CM. In this paper we show that actually many of those extra observables are not invariant under a set of universal local symmetries which appear once the KvN is extended to include the evolution of differential forms. Because of their non-invariance, those extra observables have to be removed. This removal makes the superposition of states in KvN, and as a consequence also in CM, impossible.
In 1989, Deutsch gave a basic physical explanation of why quantum-mechanical probabilities are squares of amplitudes. Essentially, a general state vector is transformed into a highly symmetric equal-amplitude superposition. The argument was recently elaborated and publicised by DeWitt. It has remained incomplete, however, inasmuch as both authors anticipate the usual normalization (sum of amplitudes squared) of state vectors. In the present paper, a thought experiment is devised in which Deutsch's idea is demonstrated independently of the normalization, exploiting further symmetries instead.
Symmetries are defined in histories-based generalized quantum mechanics paying special attention to the class of history theories admitting quasitemporal structure (a generalization of the concept of `temporal sequences' of `events' using partial semigroups) and logic structure for `single time histories'. Symmetries are classified into orthochronous (those preserving the `temporal order' of `events') and non-orthochronous. A straightforward criterion for physical equivalence of histories is formulated in terms of orthochronous symmetries; this criterion covers various notions of physical equi…
The aim of this paper is to give a simple, geometric proof of Wigner's theorem on the realization of symmetries in quantum mechanics that clarifies its relation to projective geometry. Although several proofs exist already, it seems that the relevance of Wigner's theorem is not fully appreciated in general. It is Wigner's theorem which allows the use of linear realizations of symmetries and therefore guarantees that, in the end, quantum theory stays a linear theory. In the present paper, we take a strictly geometrical point of view in order to prove this theorem. It becomes apparent that Wigne…
Perturbation theory is used systematically to investigate the symmetries of the Dirac Hamiltonian and their breaking in atomic nuclei. Using the perturbation corrections to the single-particle energies and wave functions, the link between the single-particle states in realistic nuclei and their counterparts in the symmetry limits is discussed. It is shown that the limit of S-V=const and relativistic harmonic oscillator (RHO) potentials can be connected to the actual Dirac Hamiltonian by the perturbation method, while the limit of S+V=const cannot, where S and V are the scalar and vector potent…
We present an old and regretfully forgotten method by Jacobi which allows one to find many Lagrangians of simple classical models and also of nonconservative systems. We underline that the knowledge of Lie symmetries generates Jacobi last multipliers and each of the latter yields a Lagrangian. Then it is shown that Noether's theorem can identify among those Lagrangians the physical Lagrangian(s) that will successfully lead to quantization. The preservation of the Noether symmetries as Lie symmetries of the corresponding Schrödinger equation is the key that takes classical mechanics into quantu…
The results, different aspects and applications of our method of quantisation on configuration manifolds - called Borel Quantisation - were presented at meetings of the series `Symmetries in Science' and can be found in the published proceedings. The developments with numerous coauthors, on Borel quantisation and the related family of nonlinear Schrödinger equations called Doebner-Goldin equations, are reviewed and commented here.
We solve the generalized relativistic harmonic oscillator in 1+1 dimensions, i.e., including a linear pseudoscalar potential and quadratic scalar and vector potentials which have equal or opposite signs. We consider positive and negative quadratic potentials and discuss in detail their bound-state solutions for fermions and antifermions. The main features of these bound states are the same as the ones of the generalized three-dimensional relativistic harmonic oscillator bound states. The solutions found for zero pseudoscalar potential are related to the spin and pseudospin symmetry of the Dira…
The star product formalism has proved to be an alternative formulation for nonrelativistic quantum mechanics. We want introduce here a covariant star product in order to extend the star product formalism to relativistic quantum mechanics in the proper time formulation.
In beginning quantum mechanics courses, symmetries of a physical system are usually introduced as operators which commute with the Hamiltonian. In this article we will consider chiral symmetries which anticommute with the Hamiltonian. Typically, introductory courses at the (under)graduate level do not discuss these simple, useful and beautiful symmetries at all. The first time a student typically encounters them is when the Dirac equation is discussed in a course on relativistic quantum mechanics, or when particle-hole symmetry is studied in the context of superconductivity. In this article, w…
Symmetries are a key concept to connect mathematical elegance with physical insight. We consider measurement assemblages in quantum mechanics and show how their symmetry can be described by means of the so-called discrete bundles. It turns out that many measurement assemblages used in quantum information theory as well as for studying the foundations of quantum mechanics are entirely determined by symmetry; moreover, starting from a certain symmetry group, novel types of measurement sets can be constructed. The insight gained from symmetry allows us to easily determine whether the measurements…
Relativistic spin 1/2, as represented by Susskind's 1977 discretization of the Dirac equation on a spatial lattice, is shown to follow from basic, not typically relativistic but essentially quantum theoretic assumptions: that position eigenstates propagate to nearest neighbours while respecting lattice symmetries modulo gauge transformations.
A quantum version of the action principle is considered in the case of a free relativistic particle. The classical limit of the quantum action is obtained.
The spin-statistics connection has been proved for nonrelativistic quantum mechanics (Jabs, A., 2010: Found. Phys., {\bf 40}, 776-792). The proof is extended here to the relativistic regime using the parametrized Dirac equation. A causality condition is not required.
We have developed a unified scheme for studying Non-Commutative algebras based on Generalized Uncertainty Principle (GUP) and Snyder form in a relativistically covariant point particle Lagrangian (or symplectic) framework. Even though the GUP based algebra and Snyder algebra are very distinct, the more involved latter algebra emerges from an approximation of the Lagrangian model of the former algebra. Deformed Poincare generators for the systems that keep space-time symmetries of the relativistic particle models have been studied thoroughly. From a purely constrained dynamical analysis perspec…
On the basis of a 5-dimensional form of space-time transformations non-relativistic quantum mechanics is reformulated in a manifestly covariant manner. The resulting covariance resembles that of the conventional relativistic quantum mechanics.
Starting from the groupoid approach to Schwinger's picture of Quantum Mechanics, a proposal for the description of symmetries in this framework is advanced.It is shown that, given a groupoid $G\rightrightarrows Ω$ associated with a (quantum) system, there are two possible descriptions of its symmetries, one "microscopic", the other one "global".The microscopic point of view leads to the introduction of an additional layer over the grupoid $G$, giving rise to a suitable algebraic structure of 2-groupoid.On the other hand, taking advantage of the notion of group of bisections of a given groupoid…
The similarity renormalization group is used to transform a general Dirac Hamiltonian into diagonal form. The diagonal Dirac operator consists of the nonrelativistic term, the spin-orbit term, the dynamical term, and the relativistic modification of kinetic energy, which are very useful to explore the symmetries hidden in the Dirac Hamiltonian for any deformed system. As an example, the relativistic symmetries in an axially deformed nucleus are investigated by comparing the contributions of every term to the single particle energies and their correlations with the deformation. The result shows…
In this paper, we studied the approximate scattering state solutions of the Dirac equation with the hyperbolical potential with pseudospin and spin symmetries. Using a suitable short range approximation within the formalism of functional analytical method, we obtained the spin-orbit quantum numbers dependent scattering phase shifts for the spin and pseudospin symmetries. The normalization constants, lower and upper radial spinor for the two symmetries and the relativistic energy spectra were presented. Our results reveal that both the symmetry constants (C_ps and C_s) and the spin-orbit quantu…
Conventional relativistic quantum mechanics, based on the Klein-Gordon equation, does not possess a natural probabilistic interpretation in configuration space. The Bohmian interpretation, in which probabilities play a secondary role, provides a viable interpretation of relativistic quantum mechanics. We formulate the Bohmian interpretation of many-particle wave functions in a Lorentz-covariant way. In contrast with the nonrelativistic case, the relativistic Bohmian interpretation may lead to measurable predictions on particle positions even when the conventional interpretation does not lead t…
In this article we show that the fundamental equations of relativistic Bohmian mechanics for a single particle can be derived from a scalar theory of curved space-time.
We exhibit two symmetries of one-dimensional Newtonian mechanics whereby a solution is built from the history of another solution via a generally nonlinear and complex potential-dependent transformation of the time. One symmetry intertwines the square roots of the kinetic and potential energies and connects solutions of the same dynamical problem (the potential is an invariant function). The other symmetry connects solutions of different dynamical problems (the potential is a scalar function). The existence of corresponding conserved quantities is examined using Noethers theorem and it is show…
The interaction of a moving charged particle with its coherent electromagnetic field is analysed in the framework of non-relativistic quantum mechanics. It is shown that, when this interaction is taken into account, a spatially localized state may have a mean energy lower than the one corresponding to a delocalized state.
We study the classical dynamics of non-relativistic particles endowed with spin. Non-vanishing Zitterbewegung terms appear in the equation of motion also in the small momentum limit. We derive a generalized work-energy theorem which suggests classical interpretations for tunnel effect and quantum potential.
We show that non-relativistic and relativistic mechanical systems on a configuration space Q can be seen as the conservative Dirac constraint systems with zero Hamiltonians on different subbundles of the same cotangent bundle T^*Q. The geometric quantization of this cotangent bundle under the vertical polarization leads to compatible covariant quantizations of non-relativistic and relativistic Hamiltonian mechanics.
The quantum mechanical motion of a relativistic particle in a non-continuous spacetime is investigated. The spacetime model is a dense, rationale subset of two-dimensional Minkowski spacetime. Solutions of the Dirac equation are calculated using a generalized version of Feynman's checkerboard model. They turn out to be closely related to the continuum propagator.
Kastner (arXiv:1709.09367) and Kastner and Cramer (arXiv:1711.04501) argue that the Relativistic Transactional Interpretation (RTI) of quantum mechanics provides a clear definition of absorbers and a solution to the measurement problem. I briefly examine how RTI stands with respect to unitarity in quantum mechanics. I then argue that a specific proposal to locate the origin of nonunitarity is flawed, at least in its present form.
I present a short overview of my recent achievements on the Bohmian interpretation of relativistic quantum mechanics, quantum field theory and string theory. This includes the relativistic-covariant Bohmian equations for particle trajectories, the problem of particle creation and destruction, the Bohmian interpretation of fermionic fields and the intrinsically Bohmian quantization of fields and strings based on the De Donder-Weyl covariant canonical formalism.
Many wave phenomena are related to interactions. Considering once neglected interactions in some cases, states of large objects and Newton's idea about measurement, we attempt to modify some concepts and principles of non-relativistic quantum mechanics. Our modifications may help one to understand some typical quantum phenomena with near classical and intuitive ideas without changing past correct results, may mediate some contradictions logically, and then may partially perfect non-relativistic quantum mechanics. We also give a review of the argument between Einstein and Bohr about non-relativ…
This paper can be seen as an exercise in how to adapt quantum mechanics from a strict relativistic perspective while being respectful and critical towards the experimental achievements of the contemporary theory. The result is a fully observer independent relativistic quantum mechanics for N particle systems without tachyonic solutions. A remaining worry for the moment is Bell's theorem.
It is shown that quantum entanglement is the only force able to maintain the fourth state of matter, possessing fixed shape at an arbitrary volume. Accordingly, a new relativistic Schrodinger equation is derived and transformed further to the relativistic Bohmian mechanics via the Madelung transformation. Three dissipative models are proposed as extensions of the quantum relativistic Hamilton-Jacobi equation. The corresponding dispersion relations are obtained.
To describe a relativistic hydrogen atom we used the Poincare-covariant model of a two particle system with gauge invariant potential. The kernel of the radial integral equation is obtained which describes a system of two fermions with electromagnetic interaction.
Complex numbers appear in the Hilbert space formulation of quantum mechanics, but not in the formulation in phase space. Quantum symmetries are described by complex, unitary or antiunitary operators defining ray representations in Hilbert space, whereas in phase space they are described by real, true representations. Equivalence of the formulations requires that the former representations can be obtained from the latter and vice versa. Examples are given. Equivalence of the two formulations also requires that complex superpositions of state vectors can be described in the phase space formulati…
In this paper we generalize the ideas of de Broglie and Bohm to the relativistic case which is based on the relativistic Schrödinger equation. In this regard, the relativistic forms of the guidance equation and quantum potential are derived. In our formulation of Relativistic Bohmian Mechanic, the quantum equilibrium hypothesis $(ρ=|ψ|^{2})$ and the probabilistic interpretation of the wave function are not an intrinsic feature of the theory as well as expected from the theoretical structure of Bohmian mechanics but still we can extract the statistical predictions of this theory. In fact with a…
We consider a problem of the consistent deformation of physical system introducing a new features, but preserving its fundamental properties. In particular, we study how to implement the noncommutativity of space-time without violation of the rotational symmetry in quantum mechanics or the Lorentz symmetry in f{i}eld theory. Since the canonical (Moyal) noncommutativity breaks the above symmetries one should work with more general case of coordinate-dependent noncommutative spaces, when the commutator between coordinates is a function of these coordinates. F{i}rst we describe in general lines h…
A relativistic Hamiltonian mechanical system is seen as a conservative Dirac constraint system on the cotangent bundle of a pseudo-Riemannian manifold. We provide geometric quantization of this cotangent bundle where the quantum constraint serves as a relativistic quantum equation.
We study the spectrum generating closed nonlinear superconformal algebra that describes $\mathcal{N}=2$ super-extensions of rationally deformed quantum harmonic oscillator and conformal mechanics models with coupling constant $g=m(m+1)$, $m\in {\mathbb N}$. It has a nature of a nonlinear finite $W$ superalgebra being generated by higher derivative integrals, and generally contains several different copies of either deformed superconformal $\mathfrak{osp}(2|2)$ algebra in the case of super-extended rationally deformed conformal mechanics models, or deformed super-Schrodinger algebra in the case…
In nonrelativistic quantum mechanics and in relativistic quantum field theory, time t is a parameter and thus the time-reversal operator T does not actually reverse the sign of t. However, in relativistic quantum mechanics the time coordinate t and the space coordinates x are treated on an equal footing and all are operators. In this paper it is shown how to extend PT symmetry from nonrelativistic to relativistic quantum mechanics by implementing time reversal as an operation that changes the sign of the time coordinate operator t. Some illustrative relativistic quantum-mechanical models are c…
The non-relativistic hydrogen atom enjoys an accidental $SO(4)$ symmetry, that enlarges the rotational $SO(3)$ symmetry, by extending the angular momentum algebra with the Runge-Lenz vector. In the relativistic hydrogen atom the accidental symmetry is partially lifted. Due to the Johnson-Lippmann operator, which commutes with the Dirac Hamiltonian, some degeneracy remains. When the non-relativistic hydrogen atom is put in a spherical cavity of radius $R$ with perfectly reflecting Robin boundary conditions, characterized by a self-adjoint extension parameter $γ$, in general the accidental $SO(4…
In classical relativistic mechanics, a "preferred" proper direction in spacetime for each particle is determined by the direction of its 4-momentum. Analogously, for each quantum particle we find a local direction uniquely determined by the many-particle wave function, which for each particle defines the proper foliation of spacetime. This can be used to formulate a relativistic-covariant version of Bohmian mechanics, with equivariant probability density on proper hypersurfaces.
We provide geometric quantization of the vertical cotangent bundle V^*Q equipped with the canonical Poisson structure. This is a momentum phase space of non-relativistic mechanics with the configuration bundle Q -> R. The goal is the Schrodinger representation of V^*Q. We show that this quantization is equivalent to the fibrewise quantization of symplectic fibres of V^*Q -> R, that makes the quantum algebra of non-relativistic mechanics an instantwise algebra. Quantization of the classical evolution equation defines a connection on this instantwise algebra, which provides quantum evolution in …
After a review of the problems induced by the Lorentz signature of Minkowski space-time, like the need of a clock synchronization convention for the definition of 3-space and the complexity of the notion of relativistic center of mass, there is the introduction of a new formulation of relativistic quantum mechanics compatible with the theory of relativistic bound states. In it the zeroth postulate of non-relativistic quantum mechanics is not valid and the physics is described in the rest frame by a Hilbert space containing only relative variables. The non-locality of the Poincare' generators i…
Relativistic quantum mechanics of a Proca (spin-1) particle in Riemannian spacetimes is constructed. Covariant equations defining electromagnetic interactions of a Proca particle with the anomalous magnetic moment and the electric dipole moment in Riemannian spacetimes are formulated. The relativistic Foldy-Wouthuysen transformation with allowance for terms proportional to the zero power of the Planck constant is performed. The Hamiltonian obtained agrees with the corresponding Foldy-Wouthuysen Hamiltonians derived for scalar and Dirac particles and with their classical counterpart. The unific…
