dorsal/arxiv
View SchemaCosmic quantum measurement
| Authors | i. c. percival |
|---|---|
| Categories | |
| ArXiv ID | quant-ph/9811089 |
| URL | https://arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/9811089 |
| DOI | 10.1098/rspa.2000.0507 |
| Journal | Proc.Roy.Soc.Lond. A456 (2000) 25-37 |
Abstract
Hardy's theorem states that the hidden variables of any realistic theory of quantum measurement, whose predictions agree with ordinary quantum theory, must have a preferred Lorentz frame. This presents the conflict between special relativity and any realistic dynamics of quantum measurement in a severe form. The conflict is resolved using a `measurement field', which provides a timelike function of spacetime points and a definition of simultaneity in the context of a curved spacetime. Locally this theory is consistent with special relativity, but globally, special relativity is not enough; the time dilation of general relativity and the standard cosmic time of the Robertson-Walker cosmologies are both essential. A simple but crude example is a relativistic quantum measurement dynamics based on the nonrelativistic measurement dynamics of L\"uders.
{
"annotation_id": "5b6661f0-1166-40e9-bb9f-c63fa225e490",
"date_created": "2026-03-02T18:02:44.469000Z",
"date_modified": "2026-03-02T18:02:44.469000Z",
"file_hash": "af5b8adffb05466c05de3482e5ea4d979ec9005b1f05e8af3151479ed1db0b3e",
"private": false,
"record": {
"abstract": "Hardy\u0027s theorem states that the hidden variables of any realistic theory of\nquantum measurement, whose predictions agree with ordinary quantum theory, must\nhave a preferred Lorentz frame. This presents the conflict between special\nrelativity and any realistic dynamics of quantum measurement in a severe form.\nThe conflict is resolved using a `measurement field\u0027, which provides a timelike\nfunction of spacetime points and a definition of simultaneity in the context of\na curved spacetime. Locally this theory is consistent with special relativity,\nbut globally, special relativity is not enough; the time dilation of general\nrelativity and the standard cosmic time of the Robertson-Walker cosmologies are\nboth essential. A simple but crude example is a relativistic quantum\nmeasurement dynamics based on the nonrelativistic measurement dynamics of\nL\\\"uders.",
"arxiv_id": "quant-ph/9811089",
"authors": [
"i. c. percival"
],
"categories": [
"quant-ph",
"gr-qc"
],
"doi": "10.1098/rspa.2000.0507",
"journal_ref": "Proc.Roy.Soc.Lond. A456 (2000) 25-37",
"title": "Cosmic quantum measurement",
"url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/9811089"
},
"schema_id": "dorsal/arxiv",
"source": {
"execution_id": "4632222b-6f6a-42e5-9670-002b7686f245",
"id": "arXiv Dataset IDs",
"type": "Model",
"variant": "snapshot-2026-03-01",
"version": "0.1.0"
},
"user_id": 1000002
}