Gravitation and quantum-mechanical localization of macro-objects

F. Károlyházy

William M. R. Simpson

Abstract Primitive ontology (PO) approaches to quantum theory aim to describe the world in terms of matter distributed in 3-space (the PO). David Albert argues they cannot recover macroscopic structure without ad hoc coarse-graining (“squinting”). This paper formalises a Macro-Object Problem for the PO-approach based on Albert’s critique and enlists Contextual Bohmian Mechanics (CBM) to offer a solution. CBM augments the PO with a local context field $$\Lambda (x,t)$$ . While $$\Lambda$$ is fixed, the wavefunction $$\Psi$$ evolves unitarily and the particles Q follow a Bohmian guidance law; when $$\Lambda$$ changes on a bounded region R , a local completely positive instrument updates the state, with open-system energy bookkeeping and statistical locality outside R . I show that $$\Lambda$$ tiles spacetime into macro-object tokens, modulates the dynamics to confer genuine causal powers, and does so entirely within 3-space—thereby satisfying all the conditions for solving the Macro-Object Problem. I argue that physical objects are hylomorphic composites of both matter (hylē) and form (morphē), with matter corresponding to the particles and $$\Lambda$$ serving as a rigorous surrogate for local form.

Kundeti Muralidhar

A new pre-quantum level physical theory underlying the quantum mechanics has been developed and its epistemological features are mainly derived from the fluctuating classical electromagnetic zeropoint field which induces random oscillations on charged particle. In complex vector space, the average random oscillations of the charged particle are treated as complex rotations so that a particle has extended structure. It is found that the quantum nature of particles arises from the superposition of internal oscillations on the center of mass motion. Using Lagrangian mechanics in complex vector space, a generalized Newton’s equation is derived and which is shown to be acceptable for both micro and macro mechanics. The generalized Newton’s equation contains additional relativistic terms at the micro level. Further, a complex Hamilton-Jacobi equation is derived and which is used to solve quantum mechanical problems in classical approach. The presence of zeropoint field also produces modifications in the central potential and the additional terms are responsible for the effects like advance of planets perihelion and deflection of light near massive objects at macro level. Further, in the case of atoms such terms lead to the estimation of Lamb shift using stochastic electrodynamics. The consideration of extended particle structure in stochastic electrodynamics allows deriving mass correction and charge correction and consequently the estimation of anomalous magnetic moment. The fundamental deeper level theory developed here, may further enhance the efforts for research connecting micro and macro aspects of matter. Keywords: Foundations of Quantum Mechanics, Geometric Algebra, Stochastic Electrodynamics, Zeropoint Energy, Gravitation. DOI : 10.7176/APTA/88-04 Publication date : June28th 2024

D.V. Ahluwalia

Lajos Diósi

Based on the assumption that the standard Schrödinger equation becomes gravitationally modified for massive macroscopic objects, two independent proposals have survived from the 1980s. The Schrödinger–Newton equation (1984) provides well-localized solitons for free macro-objects but lacks the mechanism of how extended wave functions collapse on solitons. The gravity-related stochastic Schrödinger equation (1989) provides the spontaneous collapse, but the resulting solitons undergo a tiny diffusion, leading to an inconvenient steady increase in the kinetic energy. We propose the stochastic Schrödinger–Newton equation, which contains the above two gravity-related modifications together. Then, the wave functions of free macroscopic bodies will gradually and stochastically collapse to solitons, which perform inertial motion without momentum diffusion: conservation of momentum and energy is restored.

A. Frenkel