Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

Journal of Mathematical Physics

Super Hilbert Space and the Quantum-Mechanical Time Operators

David M. Rosenbaum

Published Jul 1, 1969• 48 citations
Publisher

Abstract

The basic idea of super Hilbert space is to represent physical states by continuous linear functionals on a space of good functions, rather than by functions in a Hilbert space. Since L2 is in one-to-one correspondence with a subset of super Hilbert space, everything that can be done in L2 can be done in super Hilbert space. In addition, however, it is possible to have a time operator and thus to base relativistic quantum mechanics on covariant four-dimensional commutation relations.

DOI
10.1063/1.1664949

Related papers

Quantum Physics and Quantum Computation

Andreas Wichert

Classical mechanics is usually valid at the macro scale. The changes in the position and the momentum of the object over time are described by the Hamiltonian equation of motion. The wave function in quantum mechanics, if unobserved, evolves in a smooth and continuous way according to the Schrodinger equation, which is related to the Hamiltonian equation of motion. This equation describes a linear superposition of different states at time. A quantum mechanical description of a physical system is related to a probabilistic representation; it is described by a vector in Hilbert space. This description extends the two- or three-dimensional Euclidean space into spaces that have any finite or infinite number of dimensions. The state of a compound system is projected to the subspace that corresponds to the observed state and the vector representing the state is renormalized to the unit length. An observable describes a subspace for some dimensions with a special case of one dimension.

Chapman & Hall/CRC eBooks•Nov 28, 2023•0 citations

Hilbert Space Theory and Applications in Basic Quantum Mechanics

Matthew Gagne

We explore the basic mathematical physics of quantum mechanics. Our primary focus will be on Hilbert space theory and applications as well as the theory of linear operators on Hilbert space. We show how Hermitian operators are used to represent quantum observables and investigate the spectrum of various linear operators. We discuss deviation and uncertainty and briefly suggest how symmetry and representations are involved in quantum theory.

•Jan 1, 2013•1 citation

Static Description of Quantum Systems

Enrico G. Beltrametti, Gianni Cassinelli, Peter Carruthers

The Hilbert-Space Description By the static description of a physical system we mean the rules that assign specified mathematical objects to the states and to the physical quantities of the system, and the prescriptions for calculating the probability distribution of the possible values of every physical quantity when the state of the system is given. In the usual Hilbert-space formulation of quantum mechanics, to each physical system is attached a separable Hilbert space (generally infinite-dimensional) over the complex field. To every physical quantity is associated a linear, self-adjoint, not necessarily bounded operator on. If one deals with a strictly quantum system, then the converse is also generally assumed: every self-adjoint operator on represents some physical quan- tity. The restriction “strictly quantum” is necessary: if the system retains some nonquantum (i.e. classical) feature, so that it requires the algorithm of so-called “superselection rules” (see Chapter 5), then there are self-adjoint operators on that do not represent physical quantities. It should also be stressed that even in the strictly quantum case, most of the self-adjoint operators actually do not represent “interesting” physical quantities: only a few of them represent physical quantities that are useful and meaningful for the description of the physical system (e.g., energy, momentum, position, angular momentum). Therefore, by asserting that every self-adjoint operator on corresponds to some physical quantity we mean there is no a priori impossibility of devising such a correspondence, but we do not claim that this correspondence is present in the real work of experimental physics.

Cambridge University Press eBooks•Dec 28, 1984•0 citations

TIME IN RELATIVISTIC AND NONRELATIVISTIC QUANTUM MECHANICS

Hrvoje Nikolić

The kinematic time operator can be naturally defined in relativistic and nonrelativistic quantum mechanics (QM) by treating time on an equal footing with space. The space–time position operator acts in the Hilbert space of functions of space and time. Dynamics, however, makes eigenstates of the time operator unphysical. This poses a problem for the standard interpretation of QM and reinforces the role of alternative interpretations such as the Bohmian one. The Bohmian interpretation, despite of being nonlocal in accordance with the Bell theorem, is shown to be relativistic covariant.

arXiv:0811.1905•International Journal of Quantum Information•Apr 1, 2009•19 citations

Quantum mechanics

Carlo Rovelli C

Quantum mechanics (QM) is not just a theory of micro-objects: it is our current fundamental theory of motion. It expresses a deeper understanding of Nature than classical mechanics. Precisely as classical mechanics, the conventional formulation of QM describes evolution of states and observables in time. Precisely as classical mechanics, this is not sufficient to deal with general relativistic systems, because these systems do not describe evolution in time; they describe correlations between observables. Therefore, a formulation of QM slightly more general than the conventional one – or a quantum version of the relativistic classical mechanics discussed in the previous chapter – is needed. In this chapter I discuss the possibility of such a formulation. In the last section I discuss the general physical interpretation of QM. QM can be formulated in a number of more or less equivalent formalisms: canonical (Hilbert spaces and self-adjoint operators), covariant (Feynman's sum-over-histories), algebraic (states as linear functionals over an abstract algebra of observables) and others. Generally, but not always, we are able to translate these formalisms into one another, but often what is easy in one formulation is difficult in another. A generalrelativistic sum-over-histories formalism has been developed by Jim Hartle. Here I focus on the canonical formalism, because the canonical formalism has provided the mathematical completeness and precision needed to explicitly construct the mathematical apparatus of quantum gravity. Later I will consider alternative formalisms.

Cambridge University Press eBooks•Nov 15, 2004•0 citations

Super-relativity in the quantum theory

Peter Leifer

The relativity to the measuring device in quantum theory, i.e. the covariance of local dynamical variables relative transformations to moving quantum reference frame in Hilbert space, may be achieved only by the rejection of super-selection rule. In order to avoid the subjective nuance, I emphasis that the notion of "measurement" here, is nothing but the covariant differentiation procedure in the functional quantum phase space $CP(N-1)$, having pure objective sense of evolution. Transition to the local moving quantum reference frame leads to some particle-like solutions of quasi-linear field PDE in the dynamical space-time. Thereby, the functionally covariant quantum dynamics gives the perspective to unify the Einstein relativity and quantum principles which are obviously contradictable under the standard approaches.

arXiv:physics/0702135•Feb 16, 2007•0 citations
The basic idea of super Hilbert space is to represent physical states by continuous linear functionals on a space of good functions, rather than by functions in a Hilbert space. Since L2 is in one-to-one correspondence with a subset of super Hilbert space, everything that can be done in L2 can be done in super Hilbert space. In addition, however, it is possible to have a time operator and thus to base relativistic quantum mechanics on covariant four-dimensional commutation relations.
Classical mechanics is usually valid at the macro scale. The changes in the position and the momentum of the object over time are described by the Hamiltonian equation of motion. The wave function in quantum mechanics, if unobserved, evolves in a smooth and continuous way according to the Schrodinger equation, which is related to the Hamiltonian equation of motion. This equation describes a linear superposition of different states at time. A quantum mechanical description of a physical system is related to a probabilistic representation; it is described by a vector in Hilbert space. This description extends the two- or three-dimensional Euclidean space into spaces that have any finite or infinite number of dimensions. The state of a compound system is projected to the subspace that corresponds to the observed state and the vector representing the state is renormalized to the unit length. An observable describes a subspace for some dimensions with a special case of one dimension.
The Hilbert-Space Description By the static description of a physical system we mean the rules that assign specified mathematical objects to the states and to the physical quantities of the system, and the prescriptions for calculating the probability distribution of the possible values of every physical quantity when the state of the system is given. In the usual Hilbert-space formulation of quantum mechanics, to each physical system is attached a separable Hilbert space (generally infinite-dimensional) over the complex field. To every physical quantity is associated a linear, self-adjoint, not necessarily bounded operator on. If one deals with a strictly quantum system, then the converse is also generally assumed: every self-adjoint operator on represents some physical quan- tity. The restriction “strictly quantum” is necessary: if the system retains some nonquantum (i.e. classical) feature, so that it requires the algorithm of so-called “superselection rules” (see Chapter 5), then there are self-adjoint operators on that do not represent physical quantities. It should also be stressed that even in the strictly quantum case, most of the self-adjoint operators actually do not represent “interesting” physical quantities: only a few of them represent physical quantities that are useful and meaningful for the description of the physical system (e.g., energy, momentum, position, angular momentum). Therefore, by asserting that every self-adjoint operator on corresponds to some physical quantity we mean there is no a priori impossibility of devising such a correspondence, but we do not claim that this correspondence is present in the real work of experimental physics.
The kinematic time operator can be naturally defined in relativistic and nonrelativistic quantum mechanics (QM) by treating time on an equal footing with space. The space–time position operator acts in the Hilbert space of functions of space and time. Dynamics, however, makes eigenstates of the time operator unphysical. This poses a problem for the standard interpretation of QM and reinforces the role of alternative interpretations such as the Bohmian one. The Bohmian interpretation, despite of being nonlocal in accordance with the Bell theorem, is shown to be relativistic covariant.
Quantum mechanics (QM) is not just a theory of micro-objects: it is our current fundamental theory of motion. It expresses a deeper understanding of Nature than classical mechanics. Precisely as classical mechanics, the conventional formulation of QM describes evolution of states and observables in time. Precisely as classical mechanics, this is not sufficient to deal with general relativistic systems, because these systems do not describe evolution in time; they describe correlations between observables. Therefore, a formulation of QM slightly more general than the conventional one – or a quantum version of the relativistic classical mechanics discussed in the previous chapter – is needed. In this chapter I discuss the possibility of such a formulation. In the last section I discuss the general physical interpretation of QM. QM can be formulated in a number of more or less equivalent formalisms: canonical (Hilbert spaces and self-adjoint operators), covariant (Feynman's sum-over-histories), algebraic (states as linear functionals over an abstract algebra of observables) and others. Generally, but not always, we are able to translate these formalisms into one another, but often what is easy in one formulation is difficult in another. A generalrelativistic sum-over-histories formalism has been developed by Jim Hartle. Here I focus on the canonical formalism, because the canonical formalism has provided the mathematical completeness and precision needed to explicitly construct the mathematical apparatus of quantum gravity. Later I will consider alternative formalisms.
The relativity to the measuring device in quantum theory, i.e. the covariance of local dynamical variables relative transformations to moving quantum reference frame in Hilbert space, may be achieved only by the rejection of super-selection rule. In order to avoid the subjective nuance, I emphasis that the notion of "measurement" here, is nothing but the covariant differentiation procedure in the functional quantum phase space CP(N−1)CP(N-1)CP(N−1), having pure objective sense of evolution. Transition to the local moving quantum reference frame leads to some particle-like solutions of quasi-linear field PDE in the dynamical space-time. Thereby, the functionally covariant quantum dynamics gives the perspective to unify the Einstein relativity and quantum principles which are obviously contradictable under the standard approaches.