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Superselection Rule
In quantum mechanics, superselection extends the concept of selection rules. Superselection rules are postulated rules forbidding the preparation of quantum states that exhibit coherence (physics), coherence between eigenstates of certain observables. It was originally introduced by Gian Carlo Wick, Arthur Wightman, and Eugene Wigner to impose additional restrictions to quantum theory beyond those of selection rules. Mathematically speaking, two quantum states \psi_1 and \psi_2 are separated by a selection rule if \langle \psi_1 , H , \psi_2 \rangle = 0 for the given Hamiltonian H , while they are separated by a superselection rule if \langle \psi_1 , A , \psi_2 \rangle = 0 for ''all ''physical observables A . Because no observable connects \langle \psi_1 , and , \psi_2 \rangle they cannot be put into a quantum superposition \alpha , \psi_1 \rangle + \beta , \psi_2 \rangle , and/or a quantum superposition cannot be distinguished from a classical mixture of the two ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Quantum Mechanics
Quantum mechanics is the fundamental physical Scientific theory, theory that describes the behavior of matter and of light; its unusual characteristics typically occur at and below the scale of atoms. Reprinted, Addison-Wesley, 1989, It is the foundation of all quantum physics, which includes quantum chemistry, quantum field theory, quantum technology, and quantum information science. Quantum mechanics can describe many systems that classical physics cannot. Classical physics can describe many aspects of nature at an ordinary (macroscopic and Microscopic scale, (optical) microscopic) scale, but is not sufficient for describing them at very small submicroscopic (atomic and subatomic) scales. Classical mechanics can be derived from quantum mechanics as an approximation that is valid at ordinary scales. Quantum systems have Bound state, bound states that are Quantization (physics), quantized to Discrete mathematics, discrete values of energy, momentum, angular momentum, and ot ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Subalgebra
In mathematics, a subalgebra is a subset of an algebra, closed under all its operations, and carrying the induced operations. "Algebra", when referring to a structure, often means a vector space or module equipped with an additional bilinear operation. Algebras in universal algebra are far more general: they are a common generalisation of ''all'' algebraic structures. "Subalgebra" can refer to either case. Subalgebras for algebras over a ring or field A subalgebra of an algebra over a commutative ring or field is a vector subspace which is closed under the multiplication of vectors. The restriction of the algebra multiplication makes it an algebra over the same ring or field. This notion also applies to most specializations, where the multiplication must satisfy additional properties, e.g. to associative algebras or to Lie algebras. Only for unital algebras is there a stronger notion, of unital subalgebra, for which it is also required that the unit of the subalgebra be the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ising Model
The Ising model (or Lenz–Ising model), named after the physicists Ernst Ising and Wilhelm Lenz, is a mathematical models in physics, mathematical model of ferromagnetism in statistical mechanics. The model consists of discrete variables that represent Nuclear magnetic moment, magnetic dipole moments of atomic "spins" that can be in one of two states (+1 or −1). The spins are arranged in a Graph (abstract data type), graph, usually a lattice (group), lattice (where the local structure repeats periodically in all directions), allowing each spin to interact with its neighbors. Neighboring spins that agree have a lower energy than those that disagree; the system tends to the lowest energy but heat disturbs this tendency, thus creating the possibility of different structural phases.The two-dimensional square-lattice Ising model is one of the simplest statistical models to show a phase transition. Though it is a highly simplified model of a magnetic material, the Ising model can sti ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Higgs Phase
In theoretical physics, it is often important to consider gauge theory that admits many physical phenomena and "phases", connected by phase transitions, in which the vacuum may be found. Global symmetries in a gauge theory may be broken by the Higgs mechanism. In more general theories such as those relevant in string theory, there are often many Higgs fields that transform in different representations of the gauge group. If they transform in the adjoint representation or a similar representation, the original gauge symmetry is typically broken to a product of ''U(1)'' factors. Because ''U(1)'' describes electromagnetism including the Coulomb field, the corresponding phase is called a Coulomb phase. If the Higgs fields that induce the spontaneous symmetry breaking transform in other representations, the Higgs mechanism often breaks the gauge group completely and no ''U(1)'' factors are left. In this case, the corresponding vacuum expectation values describe a Higgs phase. Using t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Winding Number
In mathematics, the winding number or winding index of a closed curve in the plane (mathematics), plane around a given point (mathematics), point is an integer representing the total number of times that the curve travels counterclockwise around the point, i.e., the curve's number of turns. For certain open plane curves, the number of turns may be a non-integer. The winding number depends on the curve orientation, orientation of the curve, and it is negative number, negative if the curve travels around the point clockwise. Winding numbers are fundamental objects of study in algebraic topology, and they play an important role in vector calculus, complex analysis, geometric topology, differential geometry, and physics (such as in string theory). Intuitive description Suppose we are given a closed, oriented curve in the ''xy'' plane. We can imagine the curve as the path of motion of some object, with the orientation indicating the direction in which the object moves. Then the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Order Parameter
In physics, chemistry, and other related fields like biology, a phase transition (or phase change) is the physical process of transition between one state of a medium and another. Commonly the term is used to refer to changes among the basic states of matter: solid, liquid, and gas, and in rare cases, plasma. A phase of a thermodynamic system and the states of matter have uniform physical properties. During a phase transition of a given medium, certain properties of the medium change as a result of the change of external conditions, such as temperature or pressure. This can be a discontinuous change; for example, a liquid may become gas upon heating to its boiling point, resulting in an abrupt change in volume. The identification of the external conditions at which a transformation occurs defines the phase transition point. Types of phase transition States of matter Phase transitions commonly refer to when a substance transforms between one of the four states of matter ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hopf Algebra
In mathematics, a Hopf algebra, named after Heinz Hopf, is a structure that is simultaneously a ( unital associative) algebra and a (counital coassociative) coalgebra, with these structures' compatibility making it a bialgebra, and that moreover is equipped with an antihomomorphism satisfying a certain property. The representation theory of a Hopf algebra is particularly nice, since the existence of compatible comultiplication, counit, and antipode allows for the construction of tensor products of representations, trivial representations, and dual representations. Hopf algebras occur naturally in algebraic topology, where they originated and are related to the H-space concept, in group scheme theory, in group theory (via the concept of a group ring), and in numerous other places, making them probably the most familiar type of bialgebra. Hopf algebras are also studied in their own right, with much work on specific classes of examples on the one hand and classification problems o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lie Superalgebra
In mathematics, a Lie superalgebra is a generalisation of a Lie algebra to include a \Z/2\Z grading. Lie superalgebras are important in theoretical physics where they are used to describe the mathematics of supersymmetry. The notion of \Z/2\Z grading used here is distinct from a second \Z/2\Z grading having cohomological origins. A graded Lie algebra (say, graded by \Z or \N) that is anticommutative and has a graded Jacobi identity also has a \Z/2\Z grading; this is the "rolling up" of the algebra into odd and even parts. This rolling-up is not normally referred to as "super". Thus, supergraded Lie superalgebras carry a ''pair'' of \Z/2\Zgradations: one of which is supersymmetric, and the other is classical. Pierre Deligne calls the supersymmetric one the ''super gradation'', and the classical one the ''cohomological gradation''. These two gradations must be compatible, and there is often disagreement as to how they should be regarded. Definition Formally, a Lie superalgebra is ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lie Algebra
In mathematics, a Lie algebra (pronounced ) is a vector space \mathfrak g together with an operation called the Lie bracket, an alternating bilinear map \mathfrak g \times \mathfrak g \rightarrow \mathfrak g, that satisfies the Jacobi identity. In other words, a Lie algebra is an algebra over a field for which the multiplication operation (called the Lie bracket) is alternating and satisfies the Jacobi identity. The Lie bracket of two vectors x and y is denoted ,y/math>. A Lie algebra is typically a non-associative algebra. However, every associative algebra gives rise to a Lie algebra, consisting of the same vector space with the commutator Lie bracket, ,y= xy - yx . Lie algebras are closely related to Lie groups, which are groups that are also smooth manifolds: every Lie group gives rise to a Lie algebra, which is the tangent space at the identity. (In this case, the Lie bracket measures the failure of commutativity for the Lie group.) Conversely, to any finite-di ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Double Covering Group
In mathematics, a covering group of a topological group ''H'' is a covering space ''G'' of ''H'' such that ''G'' is a topological group and the covering map is a continuous group homomorphism. The map ''p'' is called the covering homomorphism. A frequently occurring case is a double covering group, a topological double cover in which ''H'' has index 2 in ''G''; examples include the spin groups, pin groups, and metaplectic groups. Roughly explained, saying that for example the metaplectic group Mp2''n'' is a ''double cover'' of the symplectic group Sp2''n'' means that there are always two elements in the metaplectic group representing one element in the symplectic group. Properties Let ''G'' be a covering group of ''H''. The kernel ''K'' of the covering homomorphism is just the fiber over the identity in ''H'' and is a discrete normal subgroup of ''G''. The kernel ''K'' is closed in ''G'' if and only if ''G'' is Hausdorff (and if and only if ''H'' is Hausdorff). Going i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Invariant (mathematics)
In mathematics, an invariant is a property of a mathematical object (or a class of mathematical objects) which remains unchanged after operations or transformations of a certain type are applied to the objects. The particular class of objects and type of transformations are usually indicated by the context in which the term is used. For example, the area of a triangle is an invariant with respect to isometries of the Euclidean plane. The phrases "invariant under" and "invariant to" a transformation are both used. More generally, an invariant with respect to an equivalence relation is a property that is constant on each equivalence class. Invariants are used in diverse areas of mathematics such as geometry, topology, algebra and discrete mathematics. Some important classes of transformations are defined by an invariant they leave unchanged. For example, conformal maps are defined as transformations of the plane that preserve angles. The discovery of invariants is an import ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Equivariant
In mathematics, equivariance is a form of symmetry for functions from one space with symmetry to another (such as symmetric spaces). A function is said to be an equivariant map when its domain and codomain are acted on by the same symmetry group, and when the function commutes with the action of the group. That is, applying a symmetry transformation and then computing the function produces the same result as computing the function and then applying the transformation. Equivariant maps generalize the concept of invariants, functions whose value is unchanged by a symmetry transformation of their argument. The value of an equivariant map is often (imprecisely) called an invariant. In statistical inference, equivariance under statistical transformations of data is an important property of various estimation methods; see invariant estimator for details. In pure mathematics, equivariance is a central object of study in equivariant topology and its subtopics equivariant cohomology a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
