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

A note on the unified Dirac−von Neumann formulation of quantum mechanics

D. Tjo/stheim

Published Apr 1, 1975• 4 citations
Publisher

Abstract

It is demonstrated that the mathematical model of a rigged Hilbert space is ideally suited for obtaining a unified Dirac−von Neumann formulation of quantum mechanics. It is shown that the eigenbras of an observable A can be interpreted as weak derivatives of certain functionals associated with the resolution of identity Eu, u - (−∞, ∞), associated with A.

DOI
10.1063/1.522629

Related papers

Unified Dirac-Von Neumann Formulation of Quantum Mechanics. I. Mathematical Theory

A. R. Marlow

In this paper the results from various areas of mathematical research which are necessary for a consistent unification of the Dirac and von Neumann formulations of quantum mechanics are collected and presented as a single synthesis. For this purpose, direct integral decompositions of Hilbert space must be introduced into Dirac's formulation of spectral theory and representation theory; true unit vectors in the direct integral decomposition spaces replace unnormalizable vectors of infinite length. It then becomes clear that families of modified Dirac projection operators are simply related to the Radon-Nikodym derivative of von Neumann spectral measures. In terms of these mathematical preliminaries a second paper will present the more physical aspects of the resulting unified formulation of quantum mechanics.

Journal of Mathematical Physics•Jun 1, 1965•12 citations

Dirac Formalism and Symmetry Problems in Quantum Mechanics. I. General Dirac Formalism

Jean-Pierre Antoine

Dirac's bra and ket formalism is investigated and incorporated into a complete mathematical theory. First the axiomatic foundations of quantum mechanics and von Neumann's spectral theory of observables are reviewed and several inadequacies are pointed out. These defects then are remedied by extending the usual Hilbert space to a rigged Hilbert space as introduced by Gel'fand, i.e., a triplet Φ⊂H⊂Φ′ where H is a Hilbert space, Φ a dense subspace of H provided with a new (finer) topology, Φ′ the dual of Φ. It is shown that this mathematical structure, together with the Schwartz nuclear theorem, allows us to reproduce Dirac's formalism in a completely rigorous way, without losing its transparency; this makes the theory easier to handle. The temporal evolution of the system and the wave equation are considered. Finally the probabilistic interpretation and the physical aspects of the theory are discussed; Φ is identified with the set of all physically accessible states of the system, Φ′ with the set of all possible experiments (apparatus) to which it can be subjected; this provides a direct connection with Feynman's formulation of quantum mechanics.

Journal of Mathematical Physics•Jan 1, 1969•148 citations

Quantum Mechanics and Its Evolving Formulations

Jean-Pierre Antoine

In this paper, we discuss the time evolution of the quantum mechanics formalism. Starting from the heroic beginnings of Heisenberg and Schrödinger, we cover successively the rigorous Hilbert space formulation of von Neumann, the practical bra-ket formalism of Dirac, and the more recent rigged Hilbert space approach.

Entropy•Jan 19, 2021•9 citations

Mathematical Foundations of Quantum Mechanics

Fumitomo Maeda

Although• quantum mechanics has achieved great success in the explanation of physical phenomena, the mathematics used in quantum mechanics is not rigorous.Unrigorous treatments occur in the case of continuous spectrum.In a Hilbert • space, let A be a self-adjoint operator.When we define the eigenvalue and the eigenelement by the ' ' relation Af=J.f, (1) ' ' h d -. -f(q)=).f(q)2m dq has solutions 2,ri f(q)=ce"Aq for any ;.., But these are not quadratically integrable.E. Hellinger and H. Weyi< 0 have already investigated the problem of continuous spectrum and introduced the " eigendifferential."But they are concerned with a special problem, i. e. bounded quadratic forms and solutions of differential equation.In respect of generality, they do not satisfy.< 2 > E. Fues< 3 > and some other writers<" have used this conception " eigendifferential " in quantum mechanics.But the treatments are either complicated or not rigorous.J. v. Neumann< 5 > has proved that in Hilbert space, for any selfadjoint operator A, there exists a resolution of identity E(;..) such that Af= J:and he has applied this theory to quantum mechanics.Although his theory gave a rigorous mathematical foundation to quantum mechanics, it did not give any interpretation to the representation theory of Dirac's form.Recently I investigated the "theory of vector-valued set functions."This theory removes the difficulties in the treatement of continuous spectrum, and gives a rigorous interpretation to the representation theory.< 5 > The vector-valued set function q(U) is a function of set U, and its functional value is an element (vector) in the Hilbert ,space, (1) E. Hellinger [l], 231-271.H. Weyl [1], 238-251.(2) T. Carlemann used this conception "eigendifferential" in the treatise of singular integral equations.Cf.T. Carlemann [1].(3) E. Fues [1], 295-303.(4) For example, L. de Broglie [2], 140-159.(5) J. v. Neumann [1], 53-121.(6) F. Maeda [2], [5], [6].A summary of the theory of vector-valued set functions is given in the first part Qf the present paper.(1) G. Temple has formulated a principle of quantum theory in which projective operators are given priority over self-adjoint operators.(C(.G. Temple [1)).But. the .whole discussion differs from that of my present paper.

Hiroshima Mathematical Journal•Jan 1, 1937•48 citations

Quantum Axiomatics

Nelson Enrique Bolivar, Gabriel Abellán

The axiomatization given by von Neumann lasted for more than half a century in most of the classical books of quantum mechanics. However, in the 1990's the majority of physicists began to adopt a critical attitude towards this form of postulation, especially regarding the intuitive development and the treatment of the problem of collapse of the wave function. It should be noted that the experimental conclusions reached with any set of axioms that can be chosen are, and in fact must be, exactly the same. In fact for most physicists, who do not work on the foundations of quantum mechanics, this is a transparent question. The concept of rigged space is related to topological characteristics that link the square-integrable aspects to those of distribution in functional analysis. This allows us to include a series of generalized functions due to Dirac.

Apple Academic Press eBooks•May 23, 2018•0 citations

The role of the rigged Hilbert space in quantum mechanics

Rafael de la Madrid

There is compelling evidence that, when a continuous spectrum is present, the natural mathematical setting for quantum mechanics is the rigged Hilbert space rather than just the Hilbert space. In particular, Dirac's bra-ket formalism is fully implemented by the rigged Hilbert space rather than just by the Hilbert space. In this paper, we provide a pedestrian introduction to the role the rigged Hilbert space plays in quantum mechanics, by way of a simple, exactly solvable example. The procedure will be constructive and based on a recent publication. We also provide a thorough discussion on the physical significance of the rigged Hilbert space.

arXiv:quant-ph/0502053•European Journal of Physics•Feb 17, 2005•200 citations
It is demonstrated that the mathematical model of a rigged Hilbert space is ideally suited for obtaining a unified Dirac−von Neumann formulation of quantum mechanics. It is shown that the eigenbras of an observable A can be interpreted as weak derivatives of certain functionals associated with the resolution of identity Eu, u - (−∞, ∞), associated with A.
In this paper the results from various areas of mathematical research which are necessary for a consistent unification of the Dirac and von Neumann formulations of quantum mechanics are collected and presented as a single synthesis. For this purpose, direct integral decompositions of Hilbert space must be introduced into Dirac's formulation of spectral theory and representation theory; true unit vectors in the direct integral decomposition spaces replace unnormalizable vectors of infinite length. It then becomes clear that families of modified Dirac projection operators are simply related to the Radon-Nikodym derivative of von Neumann spectral measures. In terms of these mathematical preliminaries a second paper will present the more physical aspects of the resulting unified formulation of quantum mechanics.
Dirac's bra and ket formalism is investigated and incorporated into a complete mathematical theory. First the axiomatic foundations of quantum mechanics and von Neumann's spectral theory of observables are reviewed and several inadequacies are pointed out. These defects then are remedied by extending the usual Hilbert space to a rigged Hilbert space as introduced by Gel'fand, i.e., a triplet Φ⊂H⊂Φ′ where H is a Hilbert space, Φ a dense subspace of H provided with a new (finer) topology, Φ′ the dual of Φ. It is shown that this mathematical structure, together with the Schwartz nuclear theorem, allows us to reproduce Dirac's formalism in a completely rigorous way, without losing its transparency; this makes the theory easier to handle. The temporal evolution of the system and the wave equation are considered. Finally the probabilistic interpretation and the physical aspects of the theory are discussed; Φ is identified with the set of all physically accessible states of the system, Φ′ with the set of all possible experiments (apparatus) to which it can be subjected; this provides a direct connection with Feynman's formulation of quantum mechanics.
Although• quantum mechanics has achieved great success in the explanation of physical phenomena, the mathematics used in quantum mechanics is not rigorous.Unrigorous treatments occur in the case of continuous spectrum.In a Hilbert • space, let A be a self-adjoint operator.When we define the eigenvalue and the eigenelement by the ' ' relation Af=J.f, (1) ' ' h d -. -f(q)=).f(q)2m dq has solutions 2,ri f(q)=ce"Aq for any ;.., But these are not quadratically integrable.E. Hellinger and H. Weyi< 0 have already investigated the problem of continuous spectrum and introduced the " eigendifferential."But they are concerned with a special problem, i. e. bounded quadratic forms and solutions of differential equation.In respect of generality, they do not satisfy.< 2 > E. Fues< 3 > and some other writers<" have used this conception " eigendifferential " in quantum mechanics.But the treatments are either complicated or not rigorous.J. v. Neumann< 5 > has proved that in Hilbert space, for any selfadjoint operator A, there exists a resolution of identity E(;..) such that Af= J:and he has applied this theory to quantum mechanics.Although his theory gave a rigorous mathematical foundation to quantum mechanics, it did not give any interpretation to the representation theory of Dirac's form.Recently I investigated the "theory of vector-valued set functions."This theory removes the difficulties in the treatement of continuous spectrum, and gives a rigorous interpretation to the representation theory.< 5 > The vector-valued set function q(U) is a function of set U, and its functional value is an element (vector) in the Hilbert ,space, (1) E. Hellinger [l], 231-271.H. Weyl [1], 238-251.(2) T. Carlemann used this conception "eigendifferential" in the treatise of singular integral equations.Cf.T. Carlemann [1].(3) E. Fues [1], 295-303.(4) For example, L. de Broglie [2], 140-159.(5) J. v. Neumann [1], 53-121.(6) F. Maeda [2], [5], [6].A summary of the theory of vector-valued set functions is given in the first part Qf the present paper.(1) G. Temple has formulated a principle of quantum theory in which projective operators are given priority over self-adjoint operators.(C(.G. Temple [1)).But. the .whole discussion differs from that of my present paper.
The axiomatization given by von Neumann lasted for more than half a century in most of the classical books of quantum mechanics. However, in the 1990's the majority of physicists began to adopt a critical attitude towards this form of postulation, especially regarding the intuitive development and the treatment of the problem of collapse of the wave function. It should be noted that the experimental conclusions reached with any set of axioms that can be chosen are, and in fact must be, exactly the same. In fact for most physicists, who do not work on the foundations of quantum mechanics, this is a transparent question. The concept of rigged space is related to topological characteristics that link the square-integrable aspects to those of distribution in functional analysis. This allows us to include a series of generalized functions due to Dirac.
There is compelling evidence that, when a continuous spectrum is present, the natural mathematical setting for quantum mechanics is the rigged Hilbert space rather than just the Hilbert space. In particular, Dirac's bra-ket formalism is fully implemented by the rigged Hilbert space rather than just by the Hilbert space. In this paper, we provide a pedestrian introduction to the role the rigged Hilbert space plays in quantum mechanics, by way of a simple, exactly solvable example. The procedure will be constructive and based on a recent publication. We also provide a thorough discussion on the physical significance of the rigged Hilbert space.