The Einstein-Jordan conundrum and its relation to ongoing foundational research in local quantum physics

2014

Self Cite

Recent insights into the conceptual structure of localization in QFT ("modular localization") led to clarifications of old unsolved problems. The oldest one is the Einstein-Jordan conundrum which led Jordan in 1925 to the discovery of quantum field theory. This comparison of fluctuations in subsystems of heat bath systems (Einstein) with those resulting from the restriction of the QFT vacuum state to an open subvolume (Jordan) leads to a perfect analogy; the globally pure vacuum state becomes upon local restriction a strongly impure KMS state. This phenomenon of localization-caused thermal behavior as well as the vacuum-polarization clouds at the causal boundary of the localization region places localization in QFT into a sharp contrast with quantum mechanics and justifies the attribute "holstic". In fact it positions the E-J Gedankenexperiment into the same conceptual category as the cosmological constant problem and the Unruh Gedankenexperiment. The holistic structure of QFT resulting from "modular localization" also leads to a revision of the conceptual origin of the crucial crossing property which entered particle theory at the time of the bootstrap S-matrix approach but suffered from incorrect use in the S-matrix settings of the dual model and string theory.The new holistic point of view, which strengthens the autonomous aspect of QFT, also comes with new messages for gauge theory by exposing the clash between Hilbert space structure and localization and presenting alternative solutions based on the use of stringlocal fields in Hilbert space. Among other things this leads to a radical reformulation of the Englert-Higgs symmetry breaking mechanism. Contents 1 Introduction 282 Vacuum polarization, area law 383 Modular localization and its thermal manifestation 424 The E-J conundrum, Jordan's model 545 Particle crossing, on-shell constructions from modular setting 58 PrefaceThe subject of this paper grew out of many discussions about Jordan's discovery of quantum field theory (QFT) which I had with the late Jürgen Ehlers. These conversations focussed in particular on events between the publication of Jordan's thesis on quantum aspects of statistical quantum mechanics in 1924 [1], and his discovery of QFT which was published in one section of the famous 1926 "Dreimännerarbeit" [2] together with Born and Heisenberg. This famous paper was in fact conceived as the second paper on quantum mechanics (QM). The resistance of Born and Heisenberg against Jordan's section has its natural explanation in that these two authors felt that Jordan was burdening the conceptual struggle to understand the new quantum mechanics with something which was even further out. I met Jürgen Ehlers the first time around 1957 at the University of Hamburg when he was Jordan's assistant and played the leading role in Jordan's general relativity seminar. Our paths split, after I wrote my diploma thesis on a topic of particle theory at the time when particle physics moved away from the university to the newly constructed high energy la...

Section: Cbpf-nf-002/14mentioning

confidence: 91%

Section: Cbpf-nf-002/14mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…When I was about to explain my findings [8][1] [10] in 2008 to Ehlers, I learned that he passed away shortly before my return to Berlin.…”

Section: Prefacementioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is the purpose of these notes to explain the constructive [8] as well as critical [11] power in a historical context.…”

Section: Prefacementioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 94%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Modular localization and the holistic structure of causal quantum theory, a historical perspective

2014

Self Cite

Modular Localization and the Foundational Origin of Integrability

2013

Found Phys

Self Cite

The main aim of this work is to relate integrability in QFT with a complete particle interpretation directly to the principle of causal localization, circumventing the standard method of …nding su¢ ciently many conservation laws. Its precise conceptual-mathematical formulation as "modular localization" within the setting of local operator algebras also suggests novel ways of looking at general (non-integrable) QFTs which are not based on quantizing classical …eld theories.Conformal QFT, which is known to admit no particle interpretation, suggest the presence of a "partial" integrability, referred to as "conformal integrability". This manifests itself in a "braid-permutation" group structure which contains in particular informations about the anomalous dimensional spectrum. For chiral conformal models this reduces to the braid group as it is represented in Hecke-or Birman-Wenzl-algebras associated to chiral models.Another application of modular localization mentioned in this work is an alternative to the BRST formulation of gauge theories in terms of stringlike vectorpotentials within a Hilbert space setting.

Modular localization and the holistic structure of causal quantum theory, a historical perspective

Studies in History and Philosophy of Science Part B: Studies in

2015

Self Cite

Modular localization and the holistic structure of causal quantum theory, a historical perspectiveDedicated to the memory of Jürgen Ehlers Studies in History Recent insights into the conceptual structure of localization in QFT ("modular localization") led to clarifications of old unsolved problems. The oldest one is the Einstein-Jordan conundrum which led Jordan in 1925 to the discovery of quantum field theory. This comparison of fluctuations in subsystems of heat bath systems (Einstein) with those resulting from the restriction of the QFT vacuum state to an open subvolume (Jordan) leads to a perfect analogy; the globally pure vacuum state becomes upon local restriction a strongly impure KMS state. This phenomenon of localization-caused thermal behavior as well as the vacuum-polarization clouds at the causal boundary of the localization region places localization in QFT into a sharp contrast with quantum mechanics and justifies the attribute "holstic". In fact it positions the E-J Gedankenexperiment into the same conceptual category as the cosmological constant problem and the Unruh Gedankenexperiment. The holistic structure of QFT resulting from "modular localization" also leads to a revision of the conceptual origin of the crucial crossing property which entered particle theory at the time of the bootstrap S-matrix approach but suffered from incorrect use in the S-matrix settings of the dual model and string theory.The new holistic point of view, which strengthens the autonomous aspect of QFT, also comes with new messages for gauge theory by exposing the clash between Hilbert space structure and localization and presenting alternative solutions based on the use of stringlocal fields in Hilbert space. Among other things this leads to a radical reformulation of the EnglertHiggs symmetry breaking mechanism.