Relativistic quantum measurement

Donald Marolf and Carlo Rovelli
Phys. Rev. D 66, 023510 – Published 15 July 2002
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Abstract

Does the measurement of a quantum system necessarily break Lorentz invariance? We present a simple model of a detector that measures the spacetime localization of a relativistic particle in a Lorentz invariant manner. The detector does not select a preferred Lorentz frame as a Newton-Wigner measurement would do. The result indicates that there exists a Lorentz invariant notion of quantum measurement and sheds light on the issue of the localization of a relativistic particle. The framework considered is that of single-particle mechanics as opposed to field theory. The result may be taken as support for the interpretation postulate of the spacetime-states formulation of single-particle quantum theory.

  • Received 10 April 2002

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.66.023510

©2002 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Donald Marolf

  • 201 Physics Building, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York 13244

Carlo Rovelli

  • Centre de Physique Théorique, Luminy, F-13288 Marseille, France
  • Physics Department, Pittsburgh University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260

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Issue

Vol. 66, Iss. 2 — 15 July 2002

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