5 research outputs found
The Kochen-Specker Theorem Revisited in Quantum Measure Theory
The Kochen-Specker Theorem is widely interpreted to imply that non-contextual
hidden variable theories that agree with the predictions of Copenhagen quantum
mechanics are impossible. The import of the theorem for a novel observer
independent interpretation of quantum mechanics, due to Sorkin, is
investigated.Comment: 17 pages. Revised after refereein
Dynamics & Predictions in the Co-Event Interpretation
Sorkin has introduced a new, observer independent, interpretation of quantum
mechanics that can give a successful realist account of the 'quantum
microworld' as well as explaining how classicality emerges at the level of
observable events for a range of systems including single time 'Copenhagen
measurements'. This 'co-event interpretation' presents us with a new ontology,
in which a single 'co-event' is real. A new ontology necessitates a review of
the dynamical & predictive mechanism of a theory, and in this paper we begin
the process by exploring means of expressing the dynamical and predictive
content of histories theories in terms of co-events.Comment: 35 pages. Revised after refereein
Twistor form of massive 6D superparticle
The massive six-dimensional (6D) superparticle with manifest (n, 0) supersymmetry is shown to have a supertwistor formulation in which its “hidden” (0, n) supersymmetry is also manifest. The mass-shell constraint is replaced by Spin(5) spin-shell constraints which imply that the quantum superparticle has zero superspin; for n = 1 it propagates the 6D Proca supermultiplet.PKT acknowledges support from the UK Science and Technology Facilities Council (grant ST/L000385/1). AJR is supported by a grant from the London Mathematical Society.This is the final version of the article. It was first available from IOP Science via http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1751-8113/49/2/02540
Semiclassical Effects and the Onset of Inflation
We present a class of exact solutions to the constraint equations of General
Relativity coupled to a Klein - Gordon field, these solutions being isotropic
but not homogeneous. We analyze the subsequent evolution of the consistent
Cauchy data represented by those solutions, showing that only certain special
initial conditions eventually lead to successfull Inflationary cosmologies. We
argue, however, that these initial conditions are precisely the likely outcomes
of quantum events occurred before the inflationary era.Comment: 22 pages, file written in RevTe
Chaos, decoherence and quantum cosmology
In this topical review we discuss the connections between chaos, decoherence
and quantum cosmology. We understand chaos as classical chaos in systems with a
finite number of degrees of freedom, decoherence as environment induced
decoherence and quantum cosmology as the theory of the Wheeler - DeWitt
equation or else the consistent history formulation thereof, first in mini
super spaces and later through its extension to midi super spaces. The overall
conclusion is that consideration of decoherence is necessary (and probably
sufficient) to sustain an interpretation of quantum cosmology based on the Wave
function of the Universe adopting a Wentzel - Kramers - Brillouin form for
large Universes, but a definitive account of the semiclassical transition in
classically chaotic cosmological models is not available in the literature yet.Comment: 40 page