Quantum Fluctuations
1st Edition
Published on 11. February 2021
160 pages
978-0-691-21802-1 (ISBN)
Description
Stochastic mechanics is a description of quantum phenomena in classical probabilistic terms. This work contains a detailed account of the kinematics of diffusion processes, including diffusions on curved manifolds which are necessary for the treatment of spin in stochastic mechanics. The dynamical equations of the theory are derived from a variational principle, and interference, the asymptotics of free motion, bound states, statistics, and spin are described in classical terms.
In addition to developing the formal mathematical aspects of the theory, the book contains discussion of possible physical causes of quantum fluctuations in terms of an interaction with a background field. The author gives a critical analysis of stochastic mechanics as a candidate for a realistic theory of physical processes, discussing measurement, local causality in the sense of Bell, and the failure of the theory in its present form to satisfy locality.
In addition to developing the formal mathematical aspects of the theory, the book contains discussion of possible physical causes of quantum fluctuations in terms of an interaction with a background field. The author gives a critical analysis of stochastic mechanics as a candidate for a realistic theory of physical processes, discussing measurement, local causality in the sense of Bell, and the failure of the theory in its present form to satisfy locality.
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Edward Nelson
Quantum Fluctuations
Book
05/1985
Princeton University Press
€57.00
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Edward Nelson
Quantum Fluctuations
Book
05/1985
Princeton University Press
€47.04
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Edward Nelson
Content
- Cover Page
- Half-title Page
- Title Page
- Copyright Page
- Contents
- Preface
- Chapter I. Kinematics of Diffusion
- 1.Differentiable Manifolds
- 2.Affine Connections
- 3.Measures on Path Space
- 4.Martingales
- 5.Diffusion
- 6.Markovian Diffusion
- 7.Continuity of Paths
- 8.Stochastic Integrals
- 9.Stochastic Action
- 10.Stochastic Parallel Translation
- 11.Existence of Diffusions
- Chapter II. Dynamics of Conservative Diffusion
- 12. Newtonian Dynamics
- 13. Lagrangian Dynamics
- 14. Stochastic Quantization
- 15. Nodes
- Chapter III. Stochastic Mechanics
- 16.Gaussian Processes
- 17.Interference
- 18.Momentum
- 19.Bound States
- 20.Statistics
- 21.Spin
- Chapter IV. Physics or Formalism?
- 22.Measurements
- 23.Locality
- 24.Fields
- A List of Open Problems
- Bibliography
- Index
- List of Symbols
