English

How to Measure the Quantum Measure

Quantum Physics 2017-01-27 v1 General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology

Abstract

The histories-based framework of Quantum Measure Theory assigns a generalized probability or measure μ(E)\mu(E) to every (suitably regular) set EE of histories. Even though μ(E)\mu(E) cannot in general be interpreted as the expectation value of a selfadjoint operator (or POVM), we describe an arrangement which makes it possible to determine μ(E)\mu(E) experimentally for any desired EE. Taking, for simplicity, the system in question to be a particle passing through a series of Stern-Gerlach devices or beam-splitters, we show how to couple a set of ancillas to it, and then to perform on them a suitable unitary transformation followed by a final measurement, such that the probability of a final outcome of "yes" is related to μ(E)\mu(E) by a known factor of proportionality. Finally, we discuss in what sense a positive outcome of the final measurement should count as a minimally disturbing verification that the microscopic event EE actually happened.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1610.02087,
  title  = {How to Measure the Quantum Measure},
  author = {Álvaro Mozota Frauca and Rafael Dolnick Sorkin},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1610.02087},
  year   = {2017}
}
R2 v1 2026-06-22T16:13:45.680Z