Observational entropy—a quantity that unifies Boltzmann's entropy, Gibbs' entropy, von Neumann's macroscopic entropy, and the diagonal entropy—was recently argued to play a key role in a modern formulation of statistical mechanics. Here, relying on algebraic techniques taken from Petz's theory of statistical sufficiency and on a Lévy-type concentration bound, we prove rigorous theorems showing how the observational entropy of a system undergoing a unitary evolution chosen at random tends to increase with overwhelming probability and to reach its maximum very quickly. More precisely, we show that for any observation that is sufficiently coarse with respect to the size of the system, regardless of the initial state of the system (be it pure or mixed), random evolution renders its state practically indistinguishable from the uniform (i.e., maximally mixed) distribution with a probability approaching 1 as the size of the system grows. The same conclusion holds not only for random evolutions sampled according to the unitarily invariant Haar distribution but also for approximate 2-designs, which are thought to provide a more physically and computationally reasonable model of random evolutions. Published by the American Physical Society 2024
Observational entropy—a quantity that unifies Boltzmann's entropy, Gibbs' entropy, von Neumann's macroscopic entropy, and the diagonal entropy—was recently argued to play a key role in a modern formulation of statistical mechanics. Here, relying on algebraic techniques taken from Petz's theory of statistical sufficiency and on a Lévy-type concentration bound, we prove rigorous theorems showing how the observational entropy of a system undergoing a unitary evolution chosen at random tends to increase with overwhelming probability and to reach its maximum very quickly. More precisely, we show that for any observation that is sufficiently coarse with respect to the size of the system, regardless of the initial state of the system (be it pure or mixed), random evolution renders its state practically indistinguishable from the uniform (i.e., maximally mixed) distribution with a probability approaching 1 as the size of the system grows. The same conclusion holds not only for random evolutions sampled according to the unitarily invariant Haar distribution but also for approximate 2-designs, which are thought to provide a more physically and computationally reasonable model of random evolutions. Published by the American Physical Society 2024
The goal of this thesis is to define the concept of coarse-graining in quantum systems through measurements and to develop a unified mathematical framework for macroscopic states, operations, correlations, and entropy.Within this framework, irreversible phenomena arise from the loss of statistical information that is accessible to macroscopic observers.To achieve this goal, we rigorously define macroscopicity.This thesis investigates observational entropy, a concept that unifies Boltzmann entropy, Gibbs entropy, von Neumann's macroscopic entropy, and diagonal entropy.Our approach to explaining how irreversibility arises in isolated quantum systems is based on this unified perspective.When the initial state is "macroscopic," we use Petz's theory of statistical sufficiency to show that observational entropy strictly increases with unitary time evolution.Furthermore, we show that, for any initial state, the probability of the system's observational entropy increasing and rapidly reaching its maximum value under random unitary time evolution is extremely high.Specifically, we demonstrate that when measurements on a quantum system are sufficiently coarse-grained relative to its size, its initial state (whether pure or mixed) becomes indistinguishable from the maximally mixed state through random time evolution.We show that this holds not only for random time evolutions sampled according to the Haar measure, but also for approximate 2-designs, which are considered more physically realistic models.Next, we extend this framework by introducing positive operator-valued measures (POVMs) and quantum prior states.This allows us to construct a unified inferential framework for macroscopic states.A macroscopic state can be characterized using equivalent algebraic and constructive formulations based on quantum statistical sufficiency.This approach is based on the concept of an observational deficit, which quantifies the degree to which a state is "irretrodictable" relative to prior and measurement.This structure is formulated as an "inferential reference frame" that encapsulates the observer's informational perspective.Furthermore, we treat macroscopic states as free states and construct the resource theory of microscopicity.This theory unifies existing theories of coherence, athermality and asymmetry.Finally, we extend this framework to the study of quantum correlations under observational constraints.This enables us to show that quantum correlations, such as entanglement and quantum discord, are context-dependent resources that depend on the observer's reference frame.I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my supervisor,
Abstract Observational entropy provides a general notion of quantum entropy that appropriately interpolates between Boltzmann’s and Gibbs’ entropies, and has recently been argued to provide a useful measure of out-of-equilibrium thermodynamic entropy. Here we study the mathematical properties of observational entropy from an information-theoretic viewpoint, making use of recently strengthened forms of the monotonicity property of quantum relative entropy. We present new bounds on observational entropy applying in general, as well as bounds and identities related to sequential and post-processed measurements. A central role in this work is played by what we call the ‘coarse-grained’ state, which emerges from the measurement’s statistics by Bayesian retrodiction, without presuming any knowledge about the ‘true’ underlying state being measured. The degree of distinguishability between such a coarse-grained state and the true (but generally unobservable) one is shown to provide upper and lower bounds on the difference between observational and von Neumann entropies.
One of the major unsolved problems in physics is the contradiction betwee n the reversibility of the microscopic world, as described by quantum mech anics, and the irreversibility of the macroscopic world, as described by c lassical thermodynamics and statistical mechanics.Specifically, time evol ution governed by the Schrödinger equation is unitary and possesses time-r eversal symmetry, and the von Neumann entropy of a microscopic system is c onserved.However, the entropy increase observed in macroscopic, isolated systems according to the second law of thermodynamics cannot be explained by unitary time evolution and von Neumann entropy alone.This doctoral dissertation presents a unified framework that uses observe rs to explain the contradiction.Based on von Neumann's concept of macrosc opic entropy, the framework redefines these concepts through the lens of q uantum information theory and specifically, Petz's theory of quantum suffi ciency and resource theory.This research proposes that macroscopic irreversible phenomena do not vio late physical laws.Instead, these phenomena result from the loss of stati stical information caused by limitations in an observer's measurement capa bilities or by coarsening.This doctoral thesis specifically focuses on ob servational entropy, which is a generalization of von Neumann's macroscopi c entropy.Chapter 4 of this study reinterprets von Neumann's H-theorem within a con temporary framework.The chapter provides a mathematical proof of the irre versible increase of observational entropy in isolated quantum systems.It was demonstrated that, when the system's initial state is macroscopic, or lacking microscopic details with respect to a specific measurement, obser Macroscopic States, Operations, and Entropy: An Obser ver-Centric Approach (巨視的な状態、操作、エントロピー ：観測者中心のアプローチ) 長澤 輝明
The second law of thermodynamics states that the entropy of an isolated system can only increase over time. This appears to conflict with the reversible evolution of isolated quantum systems under the Schrödinger equation, which preserves the von Neumann entropy. Nonetheless, one finds that with respect to many observables, expectation values approach a fixed value—their equilibrium value. This ultimately raises the question: ? For classical systems, one introduces the assumption of a low-entropy initial state along with the concept of ignorance about the microscopic details of the physical system, leading to a statistical interpretation of the second law. By considering the observables through which we examine quantum systems, both these assumptions can be incorporated, building upon recent studies of the of observables. While the statistical behavior of observable expectation values is well established, a quantitative connection to entropy increase has been lacking so far. In deriving novel bounds for the equilibration of observables, and considering the entropy of the system relative to observables, we recover a variant of the second law: the entropy with respect to a given observable tends toward its equilibrium value in the course of the system’s unitary evolution. These results also support recent findings that question the necessity of nonintegrability for equilibration in quantum systems. We further illustrate our bounds using numerical results from the paradigmatic example of a quantum Ising model on a chain of spins. There, we observe entropy increasing up to equilibrium values, as well as fluctuations, which expose the underlying reversible evolution in accordance with the derived bounds.
Traditional measures of entropy, like the Von Neumann entropy, while fundamental in quantum information theory, are insufficient when interpreted as thermodynamic entropy due to their invariance under unitary transformations, which contradicts observed entropy increases in isolated systems. Recognizing this limitations of existing measures for thermodynamic entropy, recent research has focused on observational entropy (OE) as a promising alternative, offering practical applicability and theoretical insights. In this work, we extend the scope of observational entropy by generalizing it to a parameterized version called α-Observational entropy (α-OE). α-OE is expressed in terms of the Petz-Rényi relative entropy between the states on which a quantum-to-classical channel is applied. The α-OE reduces to OE under α→1. We prove various properties of the α-OE, which are the generalization of the properties of OE, including the monotonically increasing of α-OE as a function of refinement of coarse-graining. We further explore the role of α-OE in thermodynamic contexts, particularly for the entropy production in open and closed quantum systems and its relation with the Helmholtz free energy.
We consider a closed macroscopic quantum system in a pure state ψ evolving unitarily with Hamiltonian H in a finite-dimensional Hilbert space H. Following von Neumann, we assume a decomposition of H into mutually orthogonal subspaces Hν, where each ν represents a macro state, and Hν contains the pure states compatible with ν. We define the quantum Boltzmann entropy for a macro state ν as SqB(ν)=kBlogdimHν, where kB is the Boltzmann constant. Goldstein et al. [http://arxiv.org/abs/1903.11870] have suggested, as a version of the second law of thermodynamics, that SqB predominantly increases with time for realistic macroscopic systems. Here, we discuss precise versions of this statement and confirm them for several simple models of H and Hν.