Why is quantum physics based on complex numbers?

DOI10.1016/J.FFA.2005.07.006MaRDI QIDQ2500602zbMATH OpenOpenAlexFDO

Authors Felix M. Lev

Publication date 17 August 2006

Published in Finite Fields and their Applications (Search for Journal in Brave)

Full work available at URL https://arxiv.org/abs/hep-th/0309003

zbMATH Keywords

finite fieldsmodular representationsquantum theory

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Representations of Lie algebras and Lie superalgebras, algebraic theory (weights) (17B10) Modular representations and characters (20C20) General and philosophical questions in quantum theory (81P05) Finite-dimensional groups and algebras motivated by physics and their representations (81R05)

Abstract: The modern quantum theory is based on the assumption that quantum states are represented by elements of a complex Hilbert space. It is expected that in future quantum theory the number field will be not postulated but derived from more general principles. We consider the choice of the number field in quantum theory based on a Galois field (GFQT) discussed in our previous publications. Since any Galois field is not algebraically closed, in the general case there is no guarantee that even a Hermitian operator necessarily has eigenvalues. We assume that the symmetry algebra is the Galois field analog of the de Sitter algebra so(1,4) and consider spinless irreducible representations of this algebra. It is shown that the Galois field analog of complex numbers is the minimal extension of the residue field modulo $p$ for which the representations are fully decomposable.

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Cites work

• scientific article; zbMATH DE number 4081635 (Why is no real title available?)
• scientific article; zbMATH DE number 1215404 (Why is no real title available?)
• scientific article; zbMATH DE number 3081880 (Why is no real title available?)
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Cited in

(2)

• Completeness of \(\dagger\)-categories and the complex numbers
• Quantification of resource theory of imaginarity

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