In
quantum Darwinism
Quantum Darwinism is a theory meant to explain the emergence of the classical world from the quantum world as due to a process of Darwinian natural selection induced by the environment interacting with the quantum system; where the many possible ...
and similar theories, pointer states are
quantum state
In quantum physics, a quantum state is a mathematical entity that embodies the knowledge of a quantum system. Quantum mechanics specifies the construction, evolution, and measurement of a quantum state. The result is a prediction for the system ...
s, sometimes of a measuring apparatus, if present, that are less perturbed by
decoherence
Quantum decoherence is the loss of quantum coherence. It involves generally a loss of information of a system to its environment. Quantum decoherence has been studied to understand how quantum systems convert to systems that can be expla ...
than other states, and are the quantum equivalents of the classical states of the system after decoherence has occurred through interaction with the environment.
'Pointer' refers to the reading of a recording or measuring device, which in old analog versions would often have a
gauge
Gauge ( ) may refer to:
Measurement
* Gauge (instrument), any of a variety of measuring instruments
* Gauge (firearms)
* Wire gauge, a measure of the size of a wire
** American wire gauge, a common measure of nonferrous wire diameter, especia ...
or pointer display.
See also
*
Einselection
In quantum mechanics, einselections, short for "environment-induced superselection", is a name coined by Wojciech H. Zurek
for a process which is claimed to explain the appearance of wavefunction collapse and the emergence of classical description ...
*
Mott problem
The Mott problem is an iconic challenge to quantum mechanics theory: how can the prediction of spherically symmetric wave function result in linear tracks seen in a cloud chamber. The problem was first formulated in 1927 by Albert Einstein and Max ...
References
Quantum mechanics
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