Published April 2013 | Version v1
Journal article

Noncommutative Common Cause Principles in algebraic quantum field theory

  • 1. Research Center for the Humanities, Budapest (Hungary)
  • 2. Wigner Research Centre for Physics, Budapest (Hungary)

Description

States in algebraic quantum field theory "typically" establish correlation between spacelike separated events. Reichenbach's Common Cause Principle, generalized to the quantum field theoretical setting, offers an apt tool to causally account for these superluminal correlations. In the paper we motivate first why commutativity between the common cause and the correlating events should be abandoned in the definition of the common cause. Then we show that the Noncommutative Weak Common Cause Principle holds in algebraic quantum field theory with locally finite degrees of freedom. Namely, for any pair of projections A, B supported in spacelike separated regions VA and VB, respectively, there is a local projection C not necessarily commuting with A and B such that C is supported within the union of the backward light cones of VA and VB and the set {C, C⊥} screens off the correlation between A and B.

Additional details

Identifiers

Publishing Information

Journal Title
Journal of Mathematical Physics
Journal Volume
54
Journal Issue
4
Journal Page Range
p. 042301-042301.11
ISSN
0022-2488
CODEN
JMAPAQ

INIS

Country of Publication
United States
Country of Input or Organization
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
INIS RN
44117306
Subject category
S72: PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS;
Descriptors DEI
COMMUTATION RELATIONS; CORRELATIONS; DEGREES OF FREEDOM; LIGHT CONE; QUANTUM FIELD THEORY
Descriptors DEC
FIELD THEORIES; SPACE-TIME

Optional Information

Notes
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