English

From path integrals to dynamical algebras: a macroscopic view of quantum physics

Quantum Physics 2020-05-20 v2 Mathematical Physics math.MP History and Philosophy of Physics

Abstract

The essence of the path integral method in quantum physics can be expressed in terms of two relations between unitary propagators, describing perturbations of the underlying system. They inherit the causal structure of the theory and its invariance properties under variations of the action. These relations determine a dynamical algebra of bounded operators which encodes all properties of the corresponding quantum theory. This novel approach is applied to non-relativistic particles, where quantum mechanics emerges from it. The method works also in interacting quantum field theories and sheds new light on the foundations of quantum physics.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1905.04250,
  title  = {From path integrals to dynamical algebras: a macroscopic view of quantum physics},
  author = {Detlev Buchholz and Klaus Fredenhagen},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1905.04250},
  year   = {2020}
}

Comments

9 pages, no figures; v2: exposition improved, reference added

R2 v1 2026-06-23T09:03:04.465Z