Toward an objective interpretation of quantum mechanics

Bedford, D.; Wang, Derek

doi:10.1007/bf02738563

Cited by 21 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…A long time ago, Bedford and Wang [11] proposed that that collapse based upon energy (not energy density as described above) could be viable. More recently, Percival [12] has constructed a stochastic energy-driven collapse model for microscopic systems but has not extended it to macroscopic systems so one cannot say how, e.g., the behavior of an apparatus is described in his model.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Problems and aspects of energy-driven wave-function collapse models

Pearle

2004

Phys. Rev. A

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Four problematic circumstances are considered, involving models which describe dynamical wavefunction collapse toward energy eigenstates, for which it is shown that wavefunction collapse of macroscopic objects does not work properly. In one case, a common particle position measuring situation, the apparatus evolves to a superposition of macroscopically distinguishable states (does not collapse to one of them as it should) because each such particle/apparatus/environment state has precisely the same energy spectrum. Second, assuming an experiment takes place involving collapse to one of two possible outcomes which is permanently recorded, it is shown in general that this can only happen in the unlikely case that the two apparatus states corresponding to the two outcomes have disjoint energy spectra. Next, the progressive narrowing of the energy spectrum due to the collapse mechanism is considered. This has the effect of broadening the time evolution of objects as the universe evolves. Two examples, one involving a precessing spin, the other involving creation of an excited state followed by its decay, are presented in the form of paradoxes. In both examples, the microscopic behavior predicted by standard quantum theory is significantly altered under energy-driven collapse, but this alteration is not observed by an apparatus when it is included in the quantum description. The resolution involves recognition that the statevector describing the apparatus does not collapse, but evolves to a superposition of macroscopically different states. Bz

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Problems and aspects of energy-driven wave-function collapse models

Pearle

2004

Phys. Rev. A

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“…There have been other proposals regarding gravitational collapse. Collapse based upon energy differences (not energy density differences) was first proposed by Bedford and Wang [82]. It has received an elegant formulation by Hughston [36] which, however, is equivalent to (11) with A(t) = H and λ −1 = hµ pl c 2 .…”

Section: 1d Collapse and Gravitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Collapse models

Pearle

Open Systems and Measurement in Relativistic Quantum Theory

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“…Recently, Pearle & Squires (1995) have suggested th at the gravitational curvature scalar causes the wavefunction collapse in these theories. Those theories which depend on energy localization (Bedford & Wang 1975, 1977Gisin 1989;Milburn 1991), including psd I, are one-parameter theories, in which the parameter determines the rate of energy localization.…”

Section: Sharp Q U a N Tu M Th Eo R Ie S And E X P E R Im E N Tmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quantum spacetime fluctuations and primary state diffusion

Percival

1995

Proc. R. Soc. Lond. A

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Nondifferentiable fluctuations in space-time on a Planck scale introduce stochastic terms into the equations for quantum states, resulting in a proposed new foundation for an existing alternative quantum theory, primary state diffusion (PSD). Planckscale stochastic space-time structure results in quantum fluctuations, whilst largerscale curvature is responsible for gravitational forces. The gravitational field and the quantum fluctuation field are the same, differing only in scale. The quantum mechanics of small systems, classical mechanics of large systems and the physics of quantum experiments are all derived dynamically, without any prior division into classical and quantum domains, and without any measurement hypothesis. Unlike the earlier derivation of PSD, the new derivation, based on a stochastic space-time differential geometry, has essentially no free parameters. However many features of this structure remain to be determined. The theory is falsifiable in the laboratory, and critical matter interferometry experiments to distinguish it from ordinary quantum mechanics may be feasible within the next decade.

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Toward an objective interpretation of quantum mechanics

Cited by 21 publications

References 2 publications

Problems and aspects of energy-driven wave-function collapse models

Problems and aspects of energy-driven wave-function collapse models

Collapse models

Quantum spacetime fluctuations and primary state diffusion

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