Precisely predictable Dirac observables
Pseudodifferential operators in several complex variables (32W25) Research exposition (monographs, survey articles) pertaining to partial differential equations (35-02) PDEs in connection with quantum mechanics (35Q40) Research exposition (monographs, survey articles) pertaining to quantum theory (81-02) Selfadjoint operator theory in quantum theory, including spectral analysis (81Q10)
In this book the author lays out his views regarding a theory of proper observables for the Dirac equation. According to J. von Neumann (JvN), any (unbounded) self-adjoint operator \(A\) of the underlying Hilbert space \({\mathcal H}={\mathcal L}^2(\mathbb{R}^3,\mathbb{C}^4)\) qualifies as an observable. Next, when the physical system is in the state \(\psi\in H\), the measurement of \(A\) will have the expectation value \(\breve A=\langle\psi, A\psi\rangle\), and that is all we can predict by [JvN]-rules. As time develops, physical states remain constant, but observables ``propergate according to the law \(A\to A_t= e^{iHt} Ae^{-iHt}\): Heisenberg transform, where \(H\) denotes the ``Dirac Hamiltonian. Considering the behavior of operators \(A_t\), he engages into some mathematical discussions in Chapters 1--5 to underpin the following proposal: There is a certain class \({\mathcal P}\) of abstract observables satisfying the following three conditions: (1) \(A_t\) by \(A\in{\mathcal P}\) is smooth in \(t\), and moreover it belongs to a strongly restricted class of Fourier integral operators, called ``pseudodifferential operators. (2) Class \({\mathcal P}\) must contain total energy \(H\) and total angular momentum \(J\). (3) Only the observables of \({\mathcal P}\) may be predicted by the above [JvN]-rules. He calls them ``precisely predictable. In Chapter 6, he shows that there is relativistic invariance (rather a co-variance) of the property ``precisely predictable. He also defines ``approximately predictable by using the [JvN]-rules, and shows the physical interpretations relating to ``precisely predictable approximation. In Chapter 7, ``spectral theory of the precisely predictable approximations is studied. Finally in Chapter 8, he studies the Schrödinger equation and the wave equation by using the Heisenberg transform. Since his theory blends in perfectly with ``geometrical optics, we can say that he gives the answers to the old problems around Dirac theory.
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