Why is quantum physics based on complex numbers?

DOI10.1016/J.FFA.2005.07.006zbMATH Open1155.81010arXivhep-th/0309003OpenAlexW2047166737MaRDI QIDQ2500602FDOQ2500602

Authors: Felix M. Lev 

Publication date: 17 August 2006

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

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.

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

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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)

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• Could only fermions be elementary?

Cited In (2)

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

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