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Journal of Physics A Mathematical and General

Representative state in incomplete quantal state determination

Igor D. Ivanović

Published Aug 1, 1984• 2 citations
Publisher

Abstract

The choice of a representative state in an incomplete quantal state determination is reconsidered and two main possibilities, the most probable and the expected representative state are compared. It is shown that probability densities over a set of states, underlying an expected state, are in complete agreement with the standard quantal formalism. Examples for some simple densities are given and discussed.

DOI
10.1088/0305-4470/17/11/017

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The choice of a representative state in an incomplete quantal state determination is reconsidered and two main possibilities, the most probable and the expected representative state are compared. It is shown that probability densities over a set of states, underlying an expected state, are in complete agreement with the standard quantal formalism. Examples for some simple densities are given and discussed.
In this paper we wish to illuminate the axiom that the quantal state describes a statistical ensemble of similar systems identically prepared, and is not to be identified with any single system. The mathematical representative of the general quantum state is the density matrix or statistical operator in Hilbert space. We demonstrate how this operator may be determined empirically by calculations involving only the measured mean values of a set of observables we call a ’’quorum.’’ As an example of this approach a state determination procedure is described for a spinless particle moving in one dimension; the corresponding quorum turns out to involve only position data associated with various instants subsequent to the act of preparation.
The concept of a quantum state represents one of the most fundamental pillars of the paradigm of quantum theory.'3 Contrary to its mathematical elegance and convenience in calculations, the physical interpretation of a quantum state is not so transparent. The problem is that the quantum state (described either by a state vector, or density operator or a phase-space probability density distribution) does not have a well defined objective status, i.e. a state vector is not an objective property of a particle. According to Peres (see,1 p. 374): "There is no physical evidence whatsoever that every physical system has at every instant a well defined state. .. In strict interpretation of quantum theory these mathematical symbols [i.e., state vectorsi represent statistical information enabling us to compute the probabilities of occurrence of specific events." Once this point of view is adopted then it becomes clear that any "measurement" or a reconstruction of a density operator (or its mathematical equivalent) can be understood exclusively as an expression of our knowledge about the quantum mechanical state based on a certain set of measured data. To be more specific, any quantum-mechanical reconstruction scheme is nothing more than an a posteriori estimation of the density operator of a quantum-mechanical (microscopic) system based on data obtained with the help of a macroscopic measurement apparatus.3 The quality of the reconstruction depends on the "quality" of the measured data and the efficiency of the reconstruction procedure with the help of which the data analysis is performed. In particular, we can specify three different situations. Firstly, when all system observables are precisely measured. In this case the complete reconstruction of an initially unknown state can be performed (we will call this the reconstruction on the complete observation level) . Secondly, when just part of the system observables is precisely measured then one cannot perform a complete reconstruction of the measured state. Nevertheless, the reconstructed density operator still uniquely determines mean values of the measured observables (we will denote this scheme as reconstruction on incomplete observation levels) . Finally, when measurement does not provide us with sufficient information to specify the exact mean values (or probability distributions) but only the frequencies of appearances of eigenstates of the measured observables, then one can perform an estimation (e.g. reconstruction based on quantum Bayesian inference) which is the "best" with respect to the given measured data and the a priori knowledge about the state of the measured system.
The information-theoretic maximal-entropy procedure for the analysis of collision processes is derived as a consequence of the dynamics, be they quantal or classical. The method centers attention on the minimal number of operators (the "dynamic constraints") whose expectation values are both necessary and sufficient to completely characterize the collision dynamics. For a given Hamiltonian and initial state, the constraints required to obtain an exact solution of the equations of motion are determined by a purely algebraic procedure. It is furthermore found possible to derive equations of motion for the conjugate Lagrange parameters. Immediate applications are noted, e.g., a family of similar reactions is shown to have a common set of dynamic constraints and simple illustrative applications are provided. The determination of the scattering matrix is discussed, with examples. The general formalism consists in solving the scattering problem in two stages. The first is purely algebraic. At the end of this stage one obtains the functional form of, say, the scattering matrix or of the density matrix after the collision expressed in terms of parameters whose number equals the number of dynamic constraints. The end result of this algebraic stage suffices to analyze the scattering pattern for any initial state. The second stage is the predictive procedure. Explicit coupled first-order nonlinear differential equations are obtained for the parameters.
We propose an axiomatic approach to constructing the dynamics of systems, in which one the main elements is the consciousness of a subject. The main axiom is the statements that the state of consciousness is completely determined by the results of measurements performed on it. In case of economic systems we propose to consider an offer of transaction as a fundamental measurement. Transactions with delayed choice, discussed in this paper, represent a logical generalization of incomplete transactions and allow for a more rigorous approach to studying the properties of the algebra of economic measurements. Considering the behavior of an object as a sequence of actions and choices allows extending the obtained results to random systems, which include the subject's consciousness as one of its elements. The specifics, on which the description of fundamental measurements is based, allows easily transferring the formalism of Schwinger's theory of selective measurements (and the consequent quantum-mechanical formalism) to the economic and social systems.