Space Time and Hilbert Space

Y. Q. Cai, G. Papini

Arthur A. Broyles

A formalism is presented giving the development of $\ensuremath{\psi}(\overline{x})$ in time with the interpretation that $\ensuremath{\psi}(\overline{x})$ is the probability amplitude for observing an event at a space-time point $\overline{x}$. No properties other than the four space-time coordinates are associated with an event. A Hilbert space is defined in which $\ensuremath{\psi}(\overline{x})$ is the result of a scalar product. The space-time position operators defined in this Hilbert space have no association with particle properties, such as mass. These operators cannot be defined in the Hilbert space spanned by solutions of a Schr\"odinger equation, since the operators lead out of the Hilbert subspace belonging to a given mass. It is shown that state vectors in Hilbert space that are eigenvectors of ${P}_{\ensuremath{\mu}}{P}^{\ensuremath{\mu}}$ produce position amplitudes satisfying the Klein-Gordon equation. The relation between this Hilbert space and the one introduced by Dirac is discussed. Spin is not considered.

Wolfram Schommers

David M. Rosenbaum

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.

Tim Maudlin