Related papers: Clock Time and Entropy
Measurements are ordinarily described with respect to absolute "Newtonian" time. In reality however, the switching-on of the measuring device at the instance of the measurement requires a timing device. Hence the classical time $t$ must be…
A number of positive and null results on the time variation of fundamental constants have been reported. It is difficult to judge whether or not these claims are mutually consistent, since the observable quantities depend on several…
We derive some Quantum Central Limit Theorems for expectation values of macroscopically coarse-grained observables, which are functions of coarse-grained hermitean operators. Thanks to the hermicity constraints, we obtain positive-definite…
If a macroscopic (random) classical system is put into a random state in phase space, it will of course the most likely have an almost maximal entropy according to second law of thermodynamics. We will show, however, the following theorem:…
Using the relativistic concept of time dilation we show that a superposition of gravitational potentials can lead to nonunitary time evolution. For sufficiently weak gravitational potentials one can still define, for all intents and…
We describe a rigorous construction, using matched asymptotic expansions, which establishes under very general conditions that local terrestrial and solar-system experiments will measure the effects of varying `constants' of Nature…
We summarize the arguments that space and time are likely to be emergent notions; i.e. they are not present in the fundamental formulation of the theory, but appear as approximate macroscopic concepts. Along the way we briefly review…
Quantum "states" are objective probability measures. Because their dependence on a time is not the time dependence of an evolving state, they are neither states of Nature nor "states of knowledge." There is no such thing as an evolving…
This contribution argues that the notion of time used in the scientific modeling of reality deprives time of its real nature. Difficulties from logic paradoxes to mathematical incompleteness and numerical uncertainty ensue. How can the…
Contrary to established beliefs, spacetime may not be time-orientable. By considering an experimental test of time orientability it is shown that a failure of time-orientability of a spacetime region would be indistinguishable from a…
Dynamics, the study of change, is normally the subject of mechanics. Whether the chosen mechanics is ``fundamental'' and deterministic or ``phenomenological'' and stochastic, all changes are described relative to an external time. Here we…
Recent advances in observational cosmology are changing the way we view the nature of time. In general relativity, the freedom in choosing a time hypersurface has hampered the implementation of the theory. Fortunately, Hamilton-Jacobi…
The measurement of time durations or instants of ocurrence of events has been frequently modelled ``operationally'' by coupling the system of interest to a ``clock''. According to several of these models the operational approach is limited…
The time variation of entropy, as an alternative to the variance, is proposed as a measure of the diffusion rate. It is shown that for linear and time-translationally invariant systems having a large-time limit for the density, at large…
All the laws of physics are time-reversible. Time arrow emerges only when ensembles of classical particles are treated probabilistically, outside of physics laws, and the entropy and the second law of thermodynamics are introduced. In…
Global time is a gauge or relational choice of time variable in canonical gravity. Local time is the time used in a flat patch of spacetime. We compare the dynamics of a scalar field with respect to choices of global time and Minkowski…
The quantization of time-reparametrization invariant systems such as general relativity is plagued by an ambiguity relating to the role of time in the theory. If one parametrizes observables by the (unobservable) time, and then relies on…
We enhance elementary quantum mechanics with three simple postulates that enable us to define time observable. We discuss shortly justification of the new postulates and illustrate the concept with the detailed analysis of a delta function…
We define a notion of coupling time with ambiguities for interacting particle systems, and show how this can be used to prove ergodicity and to bound the convergence time to equilibrium and the decay of correlations at equilibrium. A…
Time is a parameter playing a central role in our most fundamental modelling of natural laws. Relativity theory shows that the comparison of times measured by different clocks depends on their relative motions and on the strength of the…