dorsal/arxiv
View SchemaDecoherence and Records for the Case of a Scattering Environment
| Authors | P. J. Dodd, J. J. Halliwell |
|---|---|
| Categories | |
| ArXiv ID | quant-ph/0301104 |
| URL | https://arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/0301104 |
| DOI | 10.1103/PhysRevD.67.105018 |
| Journal | Phys Rev D67, 105018 (2003) |
Abstract
Using non-relativistic many body quantum field theory, a master equation is derived for the reduced density matrix of a dilute gas of massive particles undergoing scattering interactions with an environment of light particles. The dynamical variable that naturally decoheres (the pointer basis) is essentially the local number density of the dilute gas. Earlier master equations for this sort of system (such as that derived by Joos and Zeh) are recovered on restricting to the one-particle sector for the distinguished system. The derivation shows explicitly that the scattering environment stores information about the system by ``measuring'' the number density. This therefore provides an important example of the general connection between decoherence and records indicated by the decoherent histories approach to quantum theory. It also brings the master equation for this system into a form emphasizing the role of local densities, which is relevant to current work on deriving hydrodynamic equations from quantum theory.
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"abstract": "Using non-relativistic many body quantum field theory, a master equation is\nderived for the reduced density matrix of a dilute gas of massive particles\nundergoing scattering interactions with an environment of light particles. The\ndynamical variable that naturally decoheres (the pointer basis) is essentially\nthe local number density of the dilute gas. Earlier master equations for this\nsort of system (such as that derived by Joos and Zeh) are recovered on\nrestricting to the one-particle sector for the distinguished system. The\nderivation shows explicitly that the scattering environment stores information\nabout the system by ``measuring\u0027\u0027 the number density. This therefore provides\nan important example of the general connection between decoherence and records\nindicated by the decoherent histories approach to quantum theory. It also\nbrings the master equation for this system into a form emphasizing the role of\nlocal densities, which is relevant to current work on deriving hydrodynamic\nequations from quantum theory.",
"arxiv_id": "quant-ph/0301104",
"authors": [
"P. J. Dodd",
"J. J. Halliwell"
],
"categories": [
"quant-ph"
],
"doi": "10.1103/PhysRevD.67.105018",
"journal_ref": "Phys Rev D67, 105018 (2003)",
"title": "Decoherence and Records for the Case of a Scattering Environment",
"url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/0301104"
},
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