Quantum Tunneling and Relativistic Measurement Limits — E8 Intelligence Research
Andrew Stewart Caldin
Abstract
FINDING: Quantum tunneling is a wave-mechanical penetration of finite potential barriers, with the transmission coefficient governed by exponential decay of the wavefunction inside the classically forbidden region; recent work shows "impossible" relativistic measurements are mathematically possible but non-ideal. MATH: - Transmission coefficient: \( T \approx e^{-2\kappa L} \), where \( \kappa = \sqrt{2m(V_0 - E)}/\hbar \) (rectangular barrier, \( E < V_0 \)). - For arbitrary barrier \( V(x) \): WKB approximation \( T \approx \exp\left[-\frac{2}{\hbar}\int_{x_1}^{x_2} \sqrt{2m(V(x)-E)}\,dx\right] \). - Decay constant ratio: \( \kappa L \) dimensionless; critical ratio when \( \kappa L = 1 \) → \( T \approx e^{-2} \approx 0.1353 \). - QFT impossibility result (arXiv:2311.13644): nonlocal joint measurements in relativistic QFT produce superluminal signaling unless measurement operators are restricted; the "impossible" case corresponds to a mathematical idealization with zero-wi Author: Andrew Stewart Caldin, Independent Researcher, UK. Part of the E8 Intelligence Research series. Platform: e8intelligence.com