dorsal/arxiv
View SchemaDecoherent Histories for Spacetime Domains
| Authors | J. J. Halliwell |
|---|---|
| Categories | |
| ArXiv ID | quant-ph/0101099 |
| URL | https://arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/0101099 |
Abstract
The decoherent histories approach is a natural medium in which to address problems in quantum theory which involve time in a non-trivial way. This article reviews the various attempts and difficulties involved in using the decoherent histories approach to calculate the probability for crossing the surface $x=0$ during a finite interval of time. The commonly encountered difficulties in assigning crossing times arise here as difficulties in satisfying the consistency (no-interference) condition. This can be overcome by introducing an environment to produce decoherence, and probabilities exhibiting the expected classical limit are obtained. The probabilities are, however, dependent to some degree on the decohering environment. The results are compared with a recently proposed irreversible detector model. A third method is introduced, involving continuous quantum measurement theory. Some closely related work on the interpretation of the wave function in quantum cosmology is described.
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"abstract": "The decoherent histories approach is a natural medium in which to address\nproblems in quantum theory which involve time in a non-trivial way. This\narticle reviews the various attempts and difficulties involved in using the\ndecoherent histories approach to calculate the probability for crossing the\nsurface $x=0$ during a finite interval of time. The commonly encountered\ndifficulties in assigning crossing times arise here as difficulties in\nsatisfying the consistency (no-interference) condition. This can be overcome by\nintroducing an environment to produce decoherence, and probabilities exhibiting\nthe expected classical limit are obtained. The probabilities are, however,\ndependent to some degree on the decohering environment. The results are\ncompared with a recently proposed irreversible detector model. A third method\nis introduced, involving continuous quantum measurement theory. Some closely\nrelated work on the interpretation of the wave function in quantum cosmology is\ndescribed.",
"arxiv_id": "quant-ph/0101099",
"authors": [
"J. J. Halliwell"
],
"categories": [
"quant-ph"
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"title": "Decoherent Histories for Spacetime Domains",
"url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/0101099"
},
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