Wavefunction collapse as a real gravitational effect (Q2707360)

This article reviews the proposal put forward by the author and others (a complete list of references is given) that state-vector reduction (also termed ``collapse of the wavefunction'') in quantum mechanics is an objective process induced by gravitation. More precisely, the author argues that the superposition of two stationary states describing gravitating matter in different locations gives rise to a fundamental irreducible energy uncertainty \(E_{G}\) which can be traced back to the incompatibility of basic principles of quantum mechanics and general relativity. By Heisenberg's uncertainty principle this entails the decay of such a superposition into one or the other of the stationary states in a time scale of the order of \(t_{G}\approx \hbar/E_{G}\). A specific expression for \(E_{G}\) is proposed and the decay time \(t_{G}\) of various systems is estimated by use of the nonlinearly coupled ``Schrödinger-Newton'' equations. Finally a space-based experiment for testing the objective reduction is proposed.NEWLINENEWLINEFor the entire collection see [Zbl 0949.00037].