Related papers: Time Machines and the Breakdown of Unitarity
The operational approach to time is a cornerstone of relativistic theories, as evidenced by the notion of proper time. In standard quantum mechanics, however, time is an external parameter. Recently, many attempts have been made to extend…
We live in a 3+1 space-time that is intended as a description of the universe with three space dimensions and one time dimension. Space-time dimensionality seems so natural that it is rarely criticized. Experiments and the highly successful…
First, I briefly review the different conceptions of time held by three rival interpretations of quantum theory: the collapse of the wave-packet, the pilot-wave interpretation, and the Everett interpretation (Section 2). Then I turn to a…
An extrinsic time is identified in most isotropic and homogeneous cosmological models by matching them with the ideal clock - a parametrized system whose only "degree of freedom" is time -. Once this matching is established, the…
A new interpretation of quantum mechanics, similar to the Copenhagen interpretation, is developed from time-symmetry arguments and commonly held principles concerning time and causality. These principles, which are grounded in ideas outside…
The nonrelativistic Schroedinger equation for motion of a structureless particle in four-dimensional space-time entails a well-known expression for the conserved four-vector field of local probability density and current that are associated…
This paper defines what constitutes the Observed World in the Quantum Mechanical framework, based strictly on what is actually observed beyond doubt, instead of building observables on what is inferred from actual observations. Such…
The theories of quantum mechanics and relativity dramatically altered our understanding of the universe ushering in the era of modern physics. Quantum theory deals with objects probabilistically at small scales, whereas relativity deals…
Normally we quantize along the space dimensions but treat time classically. But from relativity we expect a high level of symmetry between time and space. What happens if we quantize time using the same rules we use to quantize space? To do…
In a fundamental formulation of the quantum mechanics of a closed system such as the universe as a whole, three forms of information are needed to make predictions for the probabilities of alternative time histories of the closed system .…
The new quantum principle of a time machine that is not using a smooth timelike loops in Lorentz manifolds is described. The proposed time machine is based on the destruction of interference of quantum superposition states in the Wheeler…
Time continues to be an intriguing physical property in the modern era. On the one hand, we have the Classical and Relativistic notion of time, where space and time have the same hierarchy, which is essential in describing events in…
Although the laws of classical physics are deterministic, thermodynamics gives rise to an arrow of time through irreversible processes. In quantum mechanics the unitary nature of the time evolution makes it intrinsically reversible, however…
Time of arrival in quantum mechanics is discussed in two versions: the classical axiomatic "time of arrival operator" introduced by J. Kijowski and the EEQT method. It is suggested that for free particles the two methods may lead to the…
Update: A time-independent $n\times n$ PT-symmetric (and symmetric) Hamiltonian is diagonalizable since it has all distinct real eigenvalues and the resulting diagonal matrix is a real symmetric matrix. The diagonalization results an…
$\mathcal{PT}$ symmetry, that is, a combined parity and time-reversal symmetry is a key milestone for non-Hermite systems exhibiting entirely real eigenenergy. In the present work, motivated by a recent experiment, we study $\mathcal{PT}$…
The standard formulation of quantum theory assumes a predefined notion of time. This is a major obstacle in the search for a quantum theory of gravity, where the causal structure of space-time is expected to be dynamical and fundamentally…
In this essay we describe a platonic metaphysics where time is a fundamental idea such that the passage of time is independent of observers and the laws of physics. Furthermore, time serves to distinguish between a real and an abstract…
We construct the propagator of a non-relativistic non-interacting particle in a flat spacetime in which two regions have been identified. This corresponds to the simplest "time machine". We show that while completeness is lost in the…
We propose a model of time evolution of quantum objects which unites the unitary evolution and the measurement procedures. The model allows to treat the time on equal footing with other dynamical variables.