On irreversibility in quantum mechanics
| Autor: | N. V. Lunin, V. I. Kogan |
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| Rok vydání: | 2004 |
| Předmět: | |
| Zdroj: | Doklady Physics. 49:723-726 |
| ISSN: | 1562-6903 1028-3358 |
| DOI: | 10.1134/1.1848624 |
| Popis: | In connection with certain physical problems, Ginzburg [1] noted that the physical causes of a monotonic increase in the entropy of closed systems, as well as a corresponding irreversibility, are not yet clearly understood. A usual approach to irreversibility in quantum mechanics is as follows. Dynamic equations, including the Schrodinger equation, are time reversible. Based on this circumstance, one concludes that postulated quantum-mechanical schemes cannot lead to irreversibility in closed systems. For this reason, either a transition to open systems or a substantial change in the mathematical foundations of quantum mechanics and transition to the equipped Hilbert space is proposed in order to include irreversibility in quantum mechanics. Other proposals involve the inclusion of nonlinear and complex terms in the Schrodinger equation. Space‐time symmetries, which are mathematically expressed in terms of the theory of groups, i.e., sets with one operation where each element has an inverse element, are responsible for exact conservation laws. The Noether theorems establish a one-to-one correspondence [2] between conservation laws and grouptheoretical requirements imposed on physical theory, and, owing to the reversibility of equations, all propagators (matrices transforming solutions from one space‐time point to another) have inverse operators. Therefore, the satisfaction of conservation laws that follow from reversible equations leads to group-theoretical requirements for propagators, in particular, to the existence of inverse propagators; i.e., the reversibility of equations and the group-theoretical construction of a physical theory are mutually dependent [3]. The description of a physical system that includes irreversible equations is a sufficient condition of its irreversible evolution. Moreover, its description by only reversible equations is obviously a necessary condition of its reversible evolution. Is the latter condition |
| Databáze: | OpenAIRE |
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