Published July 2003 | Version v1
Journal article

Bell inequalities in four dimensional phase space and the three marginal theorem

  • 1. Department of Theoretical Physics, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Homi Bhabha Road, Mumbai 400 005 (India)
  • 2. Service de Physique Theorique, Centre d'Etudes Nucleaires de Saclay, F-91191 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex (France)
  • 3. Laboratoire de Physique Mathematique, UMR 5825-CNRS, Universite Montpellier II, F-34095 Montpellier, Cedex 05 (France)

Description

We address the classical and quantum marginal problems, namely the question of simultaneous realizability through a common probability density in phase space of a given set of compatible probability distributions. We consider only distributions authorized by quantum mechanics, i.e., those corresponding to complete commuting sets of observables. For four-dimensional phase space with position variables q-vector and momentum variables p-vector, we establish the two following points: (i) given four compatible probabilities for (q1,q2), (q1,p2), (p1,q2), and (p1,p2), there does not always exist a positive phase space density ρ(q-vector,p-vector) reproducing them as marginals; this settles a long standing conjecture; it is achieved by first deriving Bell-type inequalities in phase space which have their own theoretical and experimental interest. (ii) Given instead at most three compatible probabilities, there always exist an associated phase space density ρ(q-vector,p-vector); the solution is not unique and its general form is worked out. These two points constitute our 'three marginal theorem'

Additional details

Publishing Information

Journal Title
Journal of Mathematical Physics
Journal Volume
44
Journal Issue
7
Journal Page Range
p. 2729-2747
ISSN
0022-2488
CODEN
JMAPAQ

INIS

Country of Publication
United States
Country of Input or Organization
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
INIS RN
35052935
Subject category
S71: CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSICS;
Descriptors DEI
BELL THEOREM; MATHEMATICAL SOLUTIONS; PHASE SPACE; PROBABILITY; QUANTUM MECHANICS
Descriptors DEC
MATHEMATICAL SPACE; MECHANICS; SPACE

Optional Information

Notes
(c) 2003 American Institute of Physics.