English

Quantum-classical transition in Scale Relativity

Quantum Physics 2011-07-13 v1

Abstract

The theory of scale relativity provides a new insight into the origin of fundamental laws in physics. Its application to microphysics allows us to recover quantum mechanics as mechanics on a non-differentiable (fractal) spacetime. The Schrodinger and Klein-Gordon equations are demonstrated as geodesic equations in this framework. A development of the intrinsic properties of this theory, using the mathematical tool of Hamilton's bi-quaternions, leads us to a derivation of the Dirac equation within the scale-relativity paradigm. The complex form of the wavefunction in the Schrodinger and Klein-Gordon equations follows from the non-differentiability of the geometry, since it involves a breaking of the invariance under the reflection symmetry on the (proper) time differential element (ds <-> - ds). This mechanism is generalized for obtaining the bi-quaternionic nature of the Dirac spinor by adding a further symmetry breaking due to non-differentiability, namely the differential coordinate reflection symmetry (dx^mu <-> - dx^mu) and by requiring invariance under parity and time inversion. The Pauli equation is recovered as a non-relativistic-motion approximation of the Dirac equation.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.quant-ph/0609161,
  title  = {Quantum-classical transition in Scale Relativity},
  author = {Marie-Noëlle Célérier and Laurent Nottale},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:quant-ph/0609161},
  year   = {2011}
}

Comments

28 pages, no figure