In our previous papers we were interested in making a reconstruction of quantum mechanics according to classical mechanics. In this paper we suspend this program for a while and turn our attention to a theme in the frontier of quantum mechanics itself---that is, the formation of operators. We then investigate all the subtleties involved in forming operators from their classical counterparts. We show, using the formalism of quantum phase-space distributions, that our formation method, which is equivalent to Weyl's rule, gives the correct answer. Since this method implies that eigenstates are not dispersion-free we argue for modifications in the orthodox view. Many properties of the quantum phase-space distributions are also investigated and discussed in the realm of our classical approach. We then strengthen the conclusions of our previous papers that quantum mechanics is merely an extremely good approximation of classical statistical mechanics performed upon the configuration space.
In this paper we will turn our attention to the problem of obtaining phase-space probability density functions. We will show that it is possible to obtain functions which assume only positive values over all its domain of definition.
Probability densities that are not uniquely determined by their moments are said to be "moment-indeterminate", or "M-indeterminate". Determining whether or not a density is M-indeterminate, or how to generate an M-indeterminate density, is a challenging problem with a long history. Quantum mechanics is inherently probabilistic, yet the way in which probability densities are obtained is dramatically different in comparison to standard probability theory, involving complex wave functions and operators, among other aspects. Nevertheless, the end results are standard probabilistic quantities, such…
The quantum mechanical probability densities are compared with the probability densities treated by the theory of random variables. The relevance of their difference for the interpretation of quantum mechanics is commented.
The Principle of Least Action is used with a simple Lagrangian density, involving second-order derivatives of the wave function, to obtain the Schroedinger equation. A Hamiltonian density obtained from this simple Lagrangian density shows that Hamilton's equations also give the Schroedinger equation. This simple Lagrangian density is equivalent to a standard Lagrangian density with first-order derivatives. For a time-independent system the Principle of Least Action reduces to the energy variational principle. For time-dependent systems the Principle of Least Action gives time-dependent approxi…
A finite dimensional quantum mechanical system is modeled by a density rho, a trace one, positive semi-definite matrix on a suitable tensor product space H[N] . For the system to demonstrate experimentally certain non-classical behavior, rho cannot be in S, a closed convex set of densities whose extreme points have a specificed tensor product form. Two mathematical problems in the quantum computing literature arise from this context: (1) the determination whether a given rho is in S and (2) a measure of the ``entanglement'' of such a rho in terms of its distance from S. In this paper we descri…
Hilbert space combines the properties of two fundamentally different types of mathematical spaces: vector space and metric space. While the vector-space aspects of Hilbert space, such as formation of linear combinations of state vectors, are routinely used in quantum mechanics, the metric-space aspects of Hilbert space are much less exploited. Here we show that a suitable metric stratifies Fock space into concentric spheres. Maximum and minimum distances between wave functions are derived and geometrically interpreted in terms of this metric. Unlike the usual Hilbert-space analysis, our result…
We derive ``Bell inequalities'' in four dimensional phase space and prove the following ``three marginal theorem'' for phase space densities $ρ(\overrightarrow{q},\overrightarrow{p})$, thus settling a long standing conjecture : ``there exist quantum states for which more than three of the quantum probability distributions for $(q_1,q_2)$, $(p_1,p_2)$, $(q_1,p_2)$ and $(p_1,q_2)$ cannot be reproduced as marginals of a positive $ρ(\overrightarrow{q},\overrightarrow{p})$''. We also construct the most general positive $ρ(\overrightarrow{q},\overrightarrow{p})$ which reproduces any three of the abo…
After briefly reviewing the definitions of classical probability densities for position, $P_{CL}(x)$, and for momentum, $P_{CL}(p)$, we present several examples of classical mechanical potential systems, mostly variations on such familiar cases as the infinite well and the uniformly accelerated particle for which the classical distributions can be easily derived and visualized. We focus especially on a simple potential which interpolates between the symmetric linear potential, $V(x) = F|x|$, and the infinite well, which can illustrate, in a mathematically straightforward way, how the divergent…
We present a new causal quantum mechanics in one and two dimensions developed recently at TIFR by this author and V. Singh. In this theory both position and momentum for a system point have Hamiltonian evolution in such a way that the ensemble of system points leads to position and momentum probability densities agreeing exactly with ordinary quantum mechanics.
Probabilistic description of results of measurements and its consequences for understanding quantum mechanics are discussed. It is shown that the basic mathematical structure of quantum mechanics like the probability amplitude, Born rule, probability density current, commutation relations, momentum operator, uncertainty relations, rules for including the scalar and vector potentials and existence of antiparticles can be derived from the definition of the mean values of the space coordinates and time. Equations of motion of quantum mechanics, the Klein-Gordon equation, Schroedinger equation and…
After introducing the gravitational decoupling method and the hairy black hole recently derived from it, we investigate the formation of quantum hairy black holes by applying the horizon quantum mechanics formalism. It enables us to determine how external fields, characterized by hairy parameters, affect the probability of spherically symmetric black hole formation and the generalized uncertainty principle.
Probabilistic description of results of measurements and its consequences for understanding quantum mechanics are discussed. It is shown that the basic mathematical structure of quantum mechanics like the probability amplitudes, Born rule, commutation and uncertainty relations, probability density current, momentum operator, rules for including the scalar and vector potentials and antiparticles can be obtained from the probabilistic description of results of measurement of the space coordinates and time. Equations of motion of quantum mechanics, the Klein-Gordon equation, Schrodinger equation …
We study a phenomenon occuring in various areas of quantum physics, in which an observable density (such as an energy density) which is classically pointwise nonnegative may assume arbitrarily negative expectation values after quantisation, even though the spatially integrated density remains nonnegative. Two prominent examples which have previously been studied are the energy density (in quantum field theory) and the probability flux of rightwards-moving particles (in quantum mechanics). However, in the quantum field context, it has been shown that the magnitude and space-time extension of ne…
Using the formalism of extended N=4 supersymmetric quantum mechanics we consider the procedure of the construction of multi-well potentials. We demonstrate the form-invariance of Hamiltonians entering the supermultiplet, using the presented relation for integrals, which contain fundamental solutions. The possibility of partial N=4 supersymmetry breaking is determined. We also obtain exact forms of multi-well potentials, both symmetric and asymmetric, using the Hamiltonian of harmonic oscillator as initial. The modification of the shape of potentials due to variation of parameters is also discu…
We describe some salient features as well as some recent developments concerning short-time deviations from the exponential decay law in the context of Quantum Mechanics by using the Lee Hamiltonian approach and Quantum Field Theory by using relativistic Lagrangians. In particular, the case in which two decay channels are present is analyzed: the ratio of decay probability densities, which is a constant equal to the ratio of decay widths in the exponential limit, shows in general sizable fluctuations which persist also at long times.
We recently constructed a causal quantum mechanics in 2 dim. phase space which is more realistic than the de Broglie-Bohm mechanics as it reproduces not just the position but also the momentum probability density of ordinary quantum theory. Here we present an even more ambitious construction in 2n dim. phase space. We conjecture that the causal Hamiltonian quantum mechanics presented here is `maximally realistic'. The positive definite phase space density reproduces as marginals the correct quantum probability densities of $n+1$ different complete commuting sets of observables (e.g. $\vec q$, …
