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arXiv:1201.5078

Canonical distribution and incompleteness of quantum mechanics

Vladimir A. Skrebnev

Published Jan 4, 2012• 0 citations
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Abstract

The paper discusses the physical groundlessness of the models used for the derivation of canonical distribution and provides the experimental data demonstrating the incompleteness of quantum mechanics. The possibility of using statistical ensembles is presented as a consequence of the existence of probabilistic processes which are not accounted for by quantum mechanics. The paper provides a new analytical derivation of canonical distribution for macrosystems which takes into account subquantum processes. The paper discusses the possibility of the experimental study of a probability which is beyond quantum mechanics.

DOI
10.48550/arxiv.1201.5078

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The paper discusses the physical groundlessness of the models used for the derivation of canonical distribution and provides the experimental data demonstrating the incompleteness of quantum mechanics. The possibility of using statistical ensembles is presented as a consequence of the existence of probabilistic processes which are not accounted for by quantum mechanics. The paper provides a new analytical derivation of canonical distribution for macrosystems which takes into account subquantum processes. The paper discusses the possibility of the experimental study of a probability which is beyond quantum mechanics.
INTRODUCTION The purpose of this article is to bring out in as conceptually clear terms as possible what seems to be a major incompleteness in the probability theory of particles offered by classical quantum mechanics. The exact nature of this incompleteness is illustrated by consideration of some simple quantum-mechanical examples. In addition, these examples are contrasted with the fundamental assumptions of Brownian motion in classical physics on the one hand, and with a controversy of a decade ago in mathematical psychology. (The psychological example is described in detail in the appendix). Our central claim is that classical quantum mechanics is radically incomplete in its probabilistic account of the motion of particles. In the last part of the article we derive the time-dependent joint distribution of position and momentum of the linear harmonic oscillator, and show how the apparently physically paradoxical statistical independence of position and momentum has a natural explanation. The explanation is given within the framework of the non-quantum-mechanical stochastic theory we construct for such oscillators. Before entering into any technical details, we shall attempt to spell out in intuitive terms our incompleteness claim. To begin with, there are two senses of completeness that we want to distinguish. One sense of completeness is that demanded by any hidden variable theories of quantum mechanics. States should be found, or be theoretically characterizable at least, that lead to precise values for all observables; that is, no observable is to have a variance greater than zero.
We show insurmountable contradictions which arise if statistical ensembles are considered a consequence of the influence of the environment of the physical systems. We regard the multiplicity of states with a definite energy value as a result of internal probabilistic processes in the macrosystem; these internal probabilistic processes are not taken into account by quantum mechanics. On a simple example it is demonstrated, that canonical distribution is not independent and equal to microcanonical one, but is a result of averaging by microcanonical ensemble.
In this didactical note I review in depth the rationale for using generalised canonical distributions in quantum statistics. Particular attention is paid to the proper definitions of quantum entropy and quantum relative entropy, as well as to quantum state reconstruction on the basis of incomplete data. There are two appendices in which I outline how generalised canonical distributions link to the conventional formulation of statistical mechanics, and how classical probability calculus emerges at the macroscopic level.
Quantum mechanics has irked physicists ever since its conception more than 100 years ago. While some of the misgivings, such as it being unintuitive, are merely aesthetic, quantum mechanics has one serious shortcoming: it lacks a physical description of the measurement process. This ``measurement problem'' indicates that quantum mechanics is at least an incomplete theory -- good as far as it goes, but missing a piece -- or, more radically, is in need of complete overhaul. Here we describe an approach which may provide this sought-for completion or replacement: Superdeterminism. A superdeterministic theory is one which violates the assumption of Statistical Independence (that distributions of hidden variables are independent of measurement settings). Intuition suggests that Statistical Independence is an essential ingredient of any theory of science (never mind physics), and for this reason Superdeterminism is typically discarded swiftly in any discussion of quantum foundations. The purpose of this paper is to explain why the existing objections to Superdeterminism are based on experience with classical physics and linear systems, but that this experience misleads us. Superdeterminism is a promising approach not only to solve the measurement problem, but also to understand the apparent nonlocality of quantum physics. Most importantly, we will discuss how it may be possible to test this hypothesis in an (almost) model independent way.
The capabilities of a new approach towards the foundations of Statistical Mechanics are explored. The approach is genuine quantum in the sense that statistical behavior is a consequence of objective quantum uncertainties due to entanglement and uncertainty relations. No additional randomness is added by hand and no assumptions about a priori probabilities are made, instead measure concentration results are used to justify the methods of Statistical Physics. The approach explains the applicability of the microcanonical and canonical ensemble and the tendency to equilibrate in a natural way. This work contains a pedagogical review of the existing literature and some new results. The most important of which are: i) A measure theoretic justification for the microcanonical ensemble. ii) Bounds on the subsystem equilibration time. iii) A proof that a generic weak interaction causes decoherence in the energy eigenbasis. iv) A proof of a quantum H-Theorem. v) New estimates of the average effective dimension for initial product states and states from the mean energy ensemble. vi) A proof that time and ensemble averages of observables are typically close to each other. vii) A bound on the fluctuations of the purity of a system coupled to a bath.