Measurement and quantum dynamics in the minimal modal interpretation of quantum theory

DOI10.1007/S10701-020-00374-0zbMATH Open1455.81006arXiv1807.07136OpenAlexW2884314076MaRDI QIDQ828340FDOQ828340

Authors: Jacob A. Barandes, David Kagan 

Publication date: 8 January 2021

Published in: Foundations of Physics (Search for Journal in Brave)

Abstract: Any realist interpretation of quantum theory must grapple with the measurement problem and the status of state-vector collapse. In a no-collapse approach, measurement is typically modeled as a dynamical process involving decoherence. We describe how the minimal modal interpretation closes a gap in this dynamical description, leading to a complete and consistent resolution to the measurement problem and an effective form of state collapse. Our interpretation also provides insight into the indivisible nature of measurement--the fact that you can't stop a measurement part-way through and uncover the underlying `ontic' dynamics of the system in question. Having discussed the hidden dynamics of a system's ontic state during measurement, we turn to more general forms of open-system dynamics and explore the extent to which the details of the underlying ontic behavior of a system can be described. We construct a space of ontic trajectories and describe obstructions to defining a probability measure on this space.

Full work available at URL: https://arxiv.org/abs/1807.07136

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zbMATH Keywords

quantum mechanicsdecoherencequantum foundationsquantum dynamicsquantum theorymany-body quantum systemsfoundations of physicsinterpretations of quantum theoryquantum measurement problem

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

General and philosophical questions in quantum theory (81P05) Quantum measurement theory, state operations, state preparations (81P15) Open systems, reduced dynamics, master equations, decoherence (81S22) Quantum gates (81P65)

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Cited In (8)

• Derivation of the quantum probability law from minimal non-demolition measurement
• Quantum conditional probabilities and new measures of quantum information
• Modal interpretations, decoherence and measurements
• Scopes and limits of modality in quantum mechanics
• Understanding quantum measurement from the solution of dynamical models
• Modalities and quantum mechanics
• On the measurement problem for a two-level quantum system
• Comments on minimal interactions in quantum mechanics

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