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    Space-time-symmetric nonrelativistic quantum mechanics in 3+1 dimensions: Time and position of arrival from complementary wave functions

    Eduardo O. Dias*

    • *Contact author: eduardo.dias@ufpe.br

    Phys. Rev. A 112, 032218 – Published 22 September, 2025

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/9pj6-th1m

    Abstract

    We generalize a space-time-symmetric (STS) extension of nonrelativistic quantum mechanics (QM) to describe a particle moving in three spatial dimensions. In addition to the conventional time-conditional (Schrödinger) wave function ψ(x,y,z|t), we introduce space-conditional wave functions such as ϕ(t,y,z|x), where x plays the role of the evolution parameter. The function ϕ(t,y,z|x) represents the probability amplitude for the particle to arrive on the plane x=constant at time t and transverse position (y,z). More generally, within our framework, any coordinate xμ∈{t,x,y,z} can be conveniently chosen as the evolution parameter, depending on the experimental context. This leads to a unified formalism governed by a generalized Schrödinger-type equation P̂μ|ϕμ(xμ)〉=iℏημνddxν|ϕμ(xμ)〉. It reproduces standard QM when xμ=t, with |ϕ0(x0)〉=|ψ(t)〉, and recovers the STS extension when xμ=xi∈{x,y,z}. For a free particle, we show that ϕ(t,y,z|x)=〈t,y,z|ϕ(x)〉 naturally reproduces the same dependence on the momentum wave function as the axiomatic Kijowski distribution. Possible experimental tests of these predictions are discussed. Finally, we demonstrate that the different states |ϕμ(xμ)〉 can emerge by conditioning (i.e., projecting) a timeless and spaceless physical state onto the eigenstate |xμ〉, leading to constraint equations of the form P̂μ|Φμ〉=0. Rather than privileging time as the sole evolution parameter, this formulation treats all coordinates on equal footing.

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