Published October 7, 2011 | Version v1
Journal article

Gravitationally induced inhibitions of dispersion according to the Schroedinger-Newton equation

  • 1. Center of Applied Space Technology and Microgravity, University of Bremen, Am Fallturm 1, D-28359 Bremen (Germany)

Description

We reconsider the time-dependent Schroedinger-Newton equation as a model for the self-gravitational interaction of a quantum system. We numerically locate the onset of gravitationally induced inhibitions of dispersion of Gaussian wave packets and find them to occur at mass values more than six orders of magnitude higher than reported by Salzman and Carlip (Salzman and Carlip 2006, arXiv:gr-qc/0606120, Carlip 2008 Class. Quantum Grav. 25 107-44), namely at about 1010 u. This fits much better to simple analytical estimates but unfortunately also questions the experimental realizability of the proposed laboratory test of quantum gravity in the foreseeable future, not just because of large masses, but also because of the need to provide sufficiently long coherence times.

Availability note (English)

Available from http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0264-9381/28/19/195026

Additional details

Identifiers

DOI
10.1088/0264-9381/28/19/195026;
PII
S0264-9381(11)94404-9;

Publishing Information

Journal Title
Classical and Quantum Gravity
Journal Volume
28
Journal Issue
19
Journal Page Range
[17 p.]
ISSN
0264-9381
CODEN
CQGRDG

INIS

Country of Publication
United Kingdom
Country of Input or Organization
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
INIS RN
43028827
Subject category
S71: CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSICS;
Descriptors DEI
GRAVITATIONAL INTERACTIONS; QUANTUM GRAVITY; SCHROEDINGER EQUATION; TIME DEPENDENCE; WAVE PACKETS
Descriptors DEC
BASIC INTERACTIONS; DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS; EQUATIONS; FIELD THEORIES; INTERACTIONS; PARTIAL DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS; QUANTUM FIELD THEORY; WAVE EQUATIONS