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Local Quantum Physics
Algebraic quantum field theory (AQFT) is an application to local quantum physics of C*-algebra theory. Also referred to as the Haag–Kastler axiomatic framework for quantum field theory, because it was introduced by . The axioms are stated in terms of an algebra given for every open set in Minkowski space, and mappings between those. Haag–Kastler axioms Let \mathcal be the set of all open and bounded subsets of Minkowski space. An algebraic quantum field theory is defined via a set \_ of von Neumann algebras \mathcal(O) on a common Hilbert space \mathcal satisfying the following axioms: * ''Isotony'': O_1 \subset O_2 implies \mathcal(O_1) \subset \mathcal(O_2). * ''Causality'': If O_1 is space-like separated from O_2, then mathcal(O_1),\mathcal(O_2)0. * ''Poincaré covariance'': A strongly continuous unitary representation U(\mathcal) of the Poincaré group \mathcal on \mathcal exists such that \mathcal(gO) = U(g) \mathcal(O) U(g)^*,\,\,g \in \mathcal. * ''Spectrum conditio ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
C*-algebra
In mathematics, specifically in functional analysis, a C∗-algebra (pronounced "C-star") is a Banach algebra together with an involution satisfying the properties of the adjoint. A particular case is that of a complex algebra ''A'' of continuous linear operators on a complex Hilbert space with two additional properties: * ''A'' is a topologically closed set in the norm topology of operators. * ''A'' is closed under the operation of taking adjoints of operators. Another important class of non-Hilbert C*-algebras includes the algebra C_0(X) of complex-valued continuous functions on ''X'' that vanish at infinity, where ''X'' is a locally compact Hausdorff space. C*-algebras were first considered primarily for their use in quantum mechanics to model algebras of physical observables. This line of research began with Werner Heisenberg's matrix mechanics and in a more mathematically developed form with Pascual Jordan around 1933. Subsequently, John von Neumann attempted to ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Group Action (mathematics)
In mathematics, a group action of a group G on a set (mathematics), set S is a group homomorphism from G to some group (under function composition) of functions from S to itself. It is said that G acts on S. Many sets of transformation (function), transformations form a group (mathematics), group under function composition; for example, the rotation (mathematics), rotations around a point in the plane. It is often useful to consider the group as an abstract group, and to say that one has a group action of the abstract group that consists of performing the transformations of the group of transformations. The reason for distinguishing the group from the transformations is that, generally, a group of transformations of a mathematical structure, structure acts also on various related structures; for example, the above rotation group also acts on triangles by transforming triangles into triangles. If a group acts on a structure, it will usually also act on objects built from that st ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Partial Trace
In linear algebra and functional analysis, the partial trace is a generalization of the trace (linear algebra), trace. Whereas the trace is a scalar (mathematics), scalar-valued function on operators, the partial trace is an operator (mathematics), operator-valued function. The partial trace has applications in quantum information and decoherence which is relevant for quantum measurement and thereby to the decoherent approaches to interpretations of quantum mechanics, including consistent histories and the relative state interpretation. Details Suppose V, W are finite-dimensional vector spaces over a field (mathematics), field, with dimensions m and n, respectively. For any space , let L(A) denote the space of linear operators on A. The partial trace over W is then written as , where \otimes denotes the Kronecker product. It is defined as follows: For , let , and , be bases for ''V'' and ''W'' respectively; then ''T'' has a matrix representation : \ \quad 1 \leq k, i \leq ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Norm (mathematics)
In mathematics, a norm is a function (mathematics), function from a real or complex vector space to the non-negative real numbers that behaves in certain ways like the distance from the Origin (mathematics), origin: it Equivariant map, commutes with scaling, obeys a form of the triangle inequality, and zero is only at the origin. In particular, the Euclidean distance in a Euclidean space is defined by a norm on the associated Euclidean vector space, called the #Euclidean norm, Euclidean norm, the #p-norm, 2-norm, or, sometimes, the magnitude or length of the vector. This norm can be defined as the square root of the inner product of a vector with itself. A seminorm satisfies the first two properties of a norm but may be zero for vectors other than the origin. A vector space with a specified norm is called a normed vector space. In a similar manner, a vector space with a seminorm is called a ''seminormed vector space''. The term pseudonorm has been used for several related meaning ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Positive Linear Functional
In mathematics, more specifically in functional analysis, a positive linear functional on an ordered vector space (V, \leq) is a linear functional f on V so that for all positive elements v \in V, that is v \geq 0, it holds that f(v) \geq 0. In other words, a positive linear functional is guaranteed to take nonnegative values for positive elements. The significance of positive linear functionals lies in results such as Riesz–Markov–Kakutani representation theorem. When V is a complex vector space, it is assumed that for all v\ge0, f(v) is real. As in the case when V is a C*-algebra with its partially ordered subspace of self-adjoint elements, sometimes a partial order is placed on only a subspace W\subseteq V, and the partial order does not extend to all of V, in which case the positive elements of V are the positive elements of W, by abuse of notation. This implies that for a C*-algebra, a positive linear functional sends any x \in V equal to s^s for some s \in V to a real num ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
State (functional Analysis)
In functional analysis, a state of an operator system is a positive linear functional of norm 1. States in functional analysis generalize the notion of density matrices in quantum mechanics, which represent quantum states, both mixed states and pure states. Density matrices in turn generalize state vectors, which only represent pure states. For ''M'' an operator system in a C*-algebra ''A'' with identity, the set of all states of'' ''M, sometimes denoted by S(''M''), is convex, weak-* closed in the Banach dual space ''M''*. Thus the set of all states of ''M'' with the weak-* topology forms a compact Hausdorff space, known as the state space of ''M'' . In the C*-algebraic formulation of quantum mechanics, states in this previous sense correspond to physical states, i.e. mappings from physical observables (self-adjoint elements of the C*-algebra) to their expected measurement outcome (real number). Jordan decomposition States can be viewed as noncommutative generalizations ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Isomorphism
In mathematics, an isomorphism is a structure-preserving mapping or morphism between two structures of the same type that can be reversed by an inverse mapping. Two mathematical structures are isomorphic if an isomorphism exists between them. The word is derived . The interest in isomorphisms lies in the fact that two isomorphic objects have the same properties (excluding further information such as additional structure or names of objects). Thus isomorphic structures cannot be distinguished from the point of view of structure only, and may often be identified. In mathematical jargon, one says that two objects are the same up to an isomorphism. A common example where isomorphic structures cannot be identified is when the structures are substructures of a larger one. For example, all subspaces of dimension one of a vector space are isomorphic and cannot be identified. An automorphism is an isomorphism from a structure to itself. An isomorphism between two structures is a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Causal Completion
Causality is an influence by which one event, process, state, or object (''a'' ''cause'') contributes to the production of another event, process, state, or object (an ''effect'') where the cause is at least partly responsible for the effect, and the effect is at least partly dependent on the cause. The cause of something may also be described as the reason for the event or process. In general, a process can have multiple causes,Compare: which are also said to be ''causal factors'' for it, and all lie in its past. An effect can in turn be a cause of, or causal factor for, many other effects, which all lie in its future. Some writers have held that causality is metaphysically prior to notions of time and space. Causality is an abstraction that indicates how the world progresses. As such it is a basic concept; it is more apt to be an explanation of other concepts of progression than something to be explained by other more fundamental concepts. The concept is like those of agen ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Commutative Operation
In mathematics, a binary operation is commutative if changing the order of the operands does not change the result. It is a fundamental property of many binary operations, and many mathematical proofs depend on it. Perhaps most familiar as a property of arithmetic, e.g. or , the property can also be used in more advanced settings. The name is needed because there are operations, such as division and subtraction, that do not have it (for example, ); such operations are ''not'' commutative, and so are referred to as noncommutative operations. The idea that simple operations, such as the multiplication and addition of numbers, are commutative was for many centuries implicitly assumed. Thus, this property was not named until the 19th century, when new algebraic structures started to be studied. Definition A binary operation * on a set ''S'' is ''commutative'' if x * y = y * x for all x,y \in S. An operation that is not commutative is said to be ''noncommutative''. One says ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Image (mathematics)
In mathematics, for a function f: X \to Y, the image of an input value x is the single output value produced by f when passed x. The preimage of an output value y is the set of input values that produce y. More generally, evaluating f at each Element (mathematics), element of a given subset A of its Domain of a function, domain X produces a set, called the "image of A under (or through) f". Similarly, the inverse image (or preimage) of a given subset B of the codomain Y is the set of all elements of X that map to a member of B. The image of the function f is the set of all output values it may produce, that is, the image of X. The preimage of f is the preimage of the codomain Y. Because it always equals X (the domain of f), it is rarely used. Image and inverse image may also be defined for general Binary relation#Operations, binary relations, not just functions. Definition The word "image" is used in three related ways. In these definitions, f : X \to Y is a Function (mat ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Causal Complement
Causality is an influence by which one event, process, state, or object (''a'' ''cause'') contributes to the production of another event, process, state, or object (an ''effect'') where the cause is at least partly responsible for the effect, and the effect is at least partly dependent on the cause. The cause of something may also be described as the reason for the event or process. In general, a process can have multiple causes,Compare: which are also said to be ''causal factors'' for it, and all lie in its past. An effect can in turn be a cause of, or causal factor for, many other effects, which all lie in its future. Some writers have held that causality is metaphysically prior to notions of time and space. Causality is an abstraction that indicates how the world progresses. As such it is a basic concept; it is more apt to be an explanation of other concepts of progression than something to be explained by other more fundamental concepts. The concept is like those of agency ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Open Set
In mathematics, an open set is a generalization of an Interval (mathematics)#Definitions_and_terminology, open interval in the real line. In a metric space (a Set (mathematics), set with a metric (mathematics), distance defined between every two points), an open set is a set that, with every point in it, contains all points of the metric space that are sufficiently near to (that is, all points whose distance to is less than some value depending on ). More generally, an open set is a member of a given Set (mathematics), collection of Subset, subsets of a given set, a collection that has the property of containing every union (set theory), union of its members, every finite intersection (set theory), intersection of its members, the empty set, and the whole set itself. A set in which such a collection is given is called a topological space, and the collection is called a topology (structure), topology. These conditions are very loose, and allow enormous flexibility in the choice ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
