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Journal of Mathematical Physics

A stochastic derivation of the Klein–Gordon equation

William J. Lehr, James L Park

Published Jun 1, 1977• 74 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Several years ago Nelson succeeded in deriving the nonrelativistic Schrödinger equation within a stochastic model which included Newton’s second law as the fundamental dynamical rule. Unfortunately, the relativistic extension of Nelson’s work is not so straightforward as might at first be supposed. This paper examines the difficulties inherent in such a relativization and proposes supplemental axioms which resolve those difficulties. A stochastic derivation of the Klein–Gordon equation is then presented.

DOI
10.1063/1.523396

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Several years ago Nelson succeeded in deriving the nonrelativistic Schrödinger equation within a stochastic model which included Newton’s second law as the fundamental dynamical rule. Unfortunately, the relativistic extension of Nelson’s work is not so straightforward as might at first be supposed. This paper examines the difficulties inherent in such a relativization and proposes supplemental axioms which resolve those difficulties. A stochastic derivation of the Klein–Gordon equation is then presented.
Markov diffusions corresponding to solutions of the Klein-Gordon equation are introduced in a similar way as in Nelson's stochastic mechanics. A relativistic version of the Nelson-Newton law for Markov diffusions is established. Stochastic generalizations of the proper time and of the relativistic action functional are proposed and a stochastic version of the relativistic principle of least action is stated. The formalism can be regarded as a quantization procedure leading from classical special relativity to the Klein-Gordon equation.
A stochastic interpretation of Klein-Gordon equation is proposed. The starting point is the construction of relativistically covariant diffusions satisfying a property similar but not identical to the Markov property. It is then shown that the continuity equation associated with these processes together with the relativistic version of mean Newton equation are equivalent to the Klein-Gordon equation On propose une interpretation stochastique de l'equation de Klein Gordon. Le point de depart est la construction d'une diffusion relativiste covariante qui satisfait une propriete semblable (mais pas identique) a la propriete de Markov. On montre ensuite que l'equation de continuite associee a ce processus plus la version relativiste de l'equation de Newton en moyenne sont equivalentes a l'equation de Klein-Gordon
In this paper, we review and compare the stochastic quantum mechanics of Nelson and the scale relativity theory of Nottale. We consider both nonrelativistic and relativistic frameworks and include the electromagnetic field. These theories propose a derivation of the Schrödinger and Klein–Gordon equations from microscopic processes. We show their formal equivalence. Specifically, we show that the real and imaginary parts of the complex Lorentz equation in Nottale’s theory are equivalent to the Nelson equations, which are themselves equivalent to the Madelung and de Broglie hydrodynamical representations of the Schrödinger and Klein–Gordon equations, respectively. We discuss the different physical interpretations of the Nelson and Nottale theories and stress their strengths and weaknesses. We mention potential applications of these theories to dark matter.
Tracking a real trajectory of a quantum particle still has been treated as the interpretation problem. It shall be expressed by a Brownian (stochastic) motion suggested by E. Nelson, however, the well-defined mechanism of field generation from a stochastic particle hasn't been proposed yet. For the improvement of this, I propose the extension of Nelson's quantum dynamics, for describing a relativistic scalar electron with its radiation equivalent to the Klein-Gordon particle and field system.
Derivation of Klein–Gordon equation Goals and prior knowledge The main wave equations of relativistic quantum mechanics are the Klein–Gordon, Dirac, Weyl , and Rarita–Schwinger equations. The principal aim of this chapter is to derive these, by means of the EPI principles (3.16) and (3.18). The derivations generally follow Frieden (1995), or Frieden and Soffer (1995), with numerous additions. In addition, the Schrödinger wave equation (SWE), which is non -relativistic, is also to be derived. Since rigorous use of EPI gives only relativistic wave equations (Chapter 3), EPI can only derive the SWE in some approximate sense. This is directly carried through in Appendix D, or by taking the well-known non-relativistic limit of the Klein–Gordon equation in Appendix G. Also, in Appendix D a simple EPI derivation of classical mechanics is obtained. In particular, in the limit h → 0 the EPI extremum condition (3.16) is found to give Newton's second law , and the zero-condition (3.18) gives the virial theorem , of classical mechanics. Other derived results are Eq. (4.17) – the equivalence of mass, momentum, and energy; the constancy of the Planck constant h (Sec. 4.1.14); the Compton wavelength as an ultimate resolution length (Sec. 4.1.17); and the Heisenberg uncertainty principle (Sec. 4.3). It is important to state what is assumed a priori . The relativistic properties of space and time coordinates were derived in Sec. 3.5. Hence, these are assumed here. Also, appropriate units for the concepts of mass and energy are assumed to be known, although the basic relation Eq. (4.17) between them is not presumed.
In this paper, we present a derivation of the relativistic equations of Quantum Mechanics. We focus on the second order equations (both Klein Gordon’s and Dirac’s), since the linear Dirac equation can be derived from these. This derivation is an extension of the same method applied to the non-relativistic case in a in a previous series of articles by us. We show that, to extend the theoretical framework to the relativistic case, we have only to extend the axioms in a relativistically compatible way, as should be the case with any extension of an axiomatic method. We also show that this quantization method throws light in a different way to interpret some descriptors of the usual formalism, mainly those regarding the expression for the probability density function. This, on the other hand, gives the teacher following this approach in classes on the subject to assess the epistemological issue of the role of manuals in the learning of Quantum Mechanics.