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arXiv:1606.03584 · International Mathematics Research Notices

Symmetries of Projective Spaces and Spheres

György Pál Gehér

Published Apr 27, 2018• 8 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

Abstract Let H be either a complex inner product space of dimension at least two or a real inner product space of dimension at least three, and let us fix an $\alpha \in (0,\tfrac{\pi }{2} )$. The purpose of this paper is to characterise all bijective transformations on the projective space P(H) which preserve the quantum angle $\alpha$ (or Fubini–Study distance $\alpha$) between lines in both directions. (Let us emphasise that we do not assume anything about the preservation of other quantum angles). For real inner product spaces and when $H=\mathbb{C}^2$ we do this for every $\alpha$, and when H is a complex inner product space of dimension at least three we describe the structure of such transformations for $\alpha \leq \tfrac{\pi }{4}$. Our result immediately gives an Uhlhorn-type generalisation of Wigner’s theorem on quantum mechanical symmetry transformations, that is considered to be a cornerstone of the mathematical foundations of quantum mechanics. Namely, under the above assumptions, every bijective map on the set of pure states of a quantum mechanical system that preserves the transition probability $\cos ^2\alpha$ in both directions is a Wigner symmetry (thus automatically preserves all transition probabilities), except for the case when $H=\mathbb{C}^2$ and $\alpha = \tfrac{\pi }{4}$ where an additional possibility occurs. (Note that the classical theorem of Uhlhorn is the solution for the $\alpha = \tfrac{\pi }{2}$ case). Usually in the literature, results which are connected to Wigner’s theorem are discussed under the assumption of completeness of H; however, here we shall remove this unnecessary hypothesis in our investigation. Our main tool is a characterisation of bijective maps on unit spheres of real inner product spaces which preserve one spherical angle in both directions.

DOI
10.1093/imrn/rny100

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It is well known that transformations of $ \mathbb{C}^n $ preserving the standard inner product are unitary transformations. In this paper, all bijective transformations of isotropic sets of $ \mathbb{C}P^{n} $ preserving $ H $-orthogonality in both directions, called $ H $-orthogonal transformations, have been determined. This is a generalization of Uhlhorn's version of Wigner's unitary-antiunitary theorem. The group of $ H $-orthogonal transformations on some other sets of $ \mathbb{C}P^{n} $ were also determined.
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Orthogonality preserving transformations on the set of nnn-dimensional subspaces of a Hilbert space
We characterize bijective transformations on the set of all nnn-dimensional subspaces of a Hilbert space that preserve orthogonality in both directions. This extends Uhlhorn's improvement of Wigner's classical theorem on symmetry transformations.
Symmetry in quantum mechanicsRoughly speaking, a symmetry of some mathematical object is an invertible transformation that leaves all relevant structure as it is.Thus a symmetry of a set is just a bijection (as sets have no further structure, whence invertibility is the only demand on a symmetry), a symmetry of a topological space is a homeomorphism, a symmetry of a Banach space is a linear isometric isomorphism, and, crucially important for this chapter, a symmetry of a Hilbert space H is a unitary operator, i.e., a linear map u : H → H satisfying one and hence all of the following equivalent conditions:• u is invertible and preserves the inner product, i.e., uϕ, uψ = ϕ, ψ (ϕ, ψ ∈ H).The discussion of symmetries in quantum physics is based on the above idea, but the mathematically obvious choices need not be the physically relevant ones.Even in elementary quantum mechanics, where A = B(H), i.e., the C*-algebra of all bounded operators on some Hilbert space H, the concept of a symmetry is already diverse.The main structures whose symmetries we shall study in this chapter are:1.The normal pure state space P 1 (H), i.e., the set of one-dimensional projections on H, with transition probability τ : P 1 (H) × P 1 (H) → [0, 1] defined by (2.44).2. The normal state space D(H), i.e. the convex set of density operators ρ on H. The self-adjoint operators B(H)sa on H, seen as a Jordan algebra (see below).4. The effects E (H) = [0, 1] B(H) , seen as a convex partially ordered set (poset). 5.The projections P(H) on H, seen as an orthocomplemented lattice.6.The unital commutative C*-subalgebras C (B(H)) of B(H), seen as a poset.Each of these structures comes with its own notion of a symmetry, but the main point of this chapter will be to show these notions are equivalent, corresponding in all cases to either unitary or-surprisingly-anti-unitary operators, both merely defined up to a phase.The latter subtlety will open the world of projective unitary group representation to quantum mechanics (without which the existence of spin-1 2 particles such as electrons, and therewith also of ourselves, would be impossible).