Bohmian Mechanics, Open Quantum Systems and Continuous Measurements

by Antonio B. Nassar, Salvador Miret-Artïs

Overview

This book shows how Bohmian mechanics overcomes the need for a measurement postulate involving wave function collapse. The measuring process plays a very important role in quantum mechanics. It has been widely analyzed within the Copenhagen approach through the Born and von Neumann postulates, with later extension due to Lüders. In contrast, much less effort has been invested in the measurement theory within the Bohmian mechanics framework. The continuous measurement (sharp and fuzzy, or strong and weak) problem is considered here in this framework. The authors begin by generalizing the so-called Mensky approach, which is based on restricted path integral through quantum corridors. The measuring system is then considered to be an open quantum system following a shastic Schrödinger equation. Quantum shastic trajectories (in the Bohmian sense) and their role in basic quantum processes are discussed in detail. The decoherence process is thereby described in terms of classicaltrajectories issuing from the violation of the noncrossing rule of quantum trajectories.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9783319852072
Publisher:	Springer International Publishing
Publication date:	07/20/2018
Edition description:	Softcover reprint of the original 1st ed. 2017
Pages:	241
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.25(h) x (d)

About the Author

Antonio Nassar has a PhD and Masters degree in Physics (UCLA) and is the author of more than 60 articles and two books. His main research interests concern fundamental problems such as quantum and classical trajectories, classical and quantum chaos, quantum dissipative systems and decoherence within the framework of Bohmian mechanics. He has received the following awards/recognitions: UCLA Physics Department Distinguished Teaching Assistant Award; Harvard-Westlake School Justin Rascoff Teaching Award for teaching excellence; MIT nominations and recognition for excellence in teaching; INTEL Science Talent Search – Teacher of Merit; and the UCLA Extension Distinguished Instructor Award.

Salvador Miret-Artés is full professor in Physics and director of the Instituto de Física Fundamental and Centro de Física Miguel A. Catalán in Madrid (Spain). He is author of more than 200 articles and 5 books. His main topics of interest are: atom surface scattering, surface diffusion, Bohmian mechanics, classical and quantum shastic processes and the measurement problem.

Table of Contents

Historical and Introductory Account of Bohmian Mechanics.- Some Selected Applications of Bohmian Mechanics.- Bohmian Shastic Trajectories.- Continuous Quantum Measurements in the Bohmian Framework.- Epilogue.

Editorial Reviews

The authors concentrate on the measurement theory within the Bohmian quantum mechanics framework. … the book can be recommended for reader who need an introduction into the Bohmian quantum mechanics and see a number of its applications.” (Willi-Hans Steeb, zbMATH 1371.81008, 2017)

From the Publisher