Uncertainties in quantum measurements: a quantum tomography

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Abstract: The observables associated with a quantum system S form a non-commutative algebra mathcalAS. It is assumed that a density matrix ho can be determined from the expectation values of observables. But mathcalAS admits inner automorphisms amapstouau−1,;a,uinmathcalAS, u∗u=u∗u=1, so that its individual elements can be identified only up to unitary transformations. So since mathrmTrho(uau∗)=mathrmTr(u∗hou)a, only the spectrum of ho, or its characteristic polynomial, can be determined in quantum mechanics. In local quantum field theory, ho cannot be determined at all, as we shall explain. However, abelian algebras do not have inner automorphisms, so the measurement apparatus can determine mean values of observables in abelian algebras mathcalAMsubsetmathcalAS (M for measurement, S for system). We study the uncertainties in extending ho|mathcalAM to ho|mathcalAS (the determination of which means measurement of mathcalAS) and devise a protocol to determine ho|mathcalASequivho by determining ho|mathcalAM for different choices of mathcalAM. The problem we formulate and study is a generalization of the Kadison-Singer theorem. We give an example where the system S is a particle on a circle and the experiment measures the abelian algebra of a magnetic field B coupled to S. The measurement of B gives information about the state ho of the system S due to operator mixing. Associated uncertainty principles for von Neumann entropy are discussed in the appendix, adapting the earlier work of Bia{l}ynicki-Birula and Mycielski to the present case.












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