Titel
Quantum reference frames for an indefinite metric
Autor*in
Esteban Castro-Ruiz
Institute for Theoretical Physics, ETH Zurich
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Abstract
The current theories of quantum physics and general relativity on their own do not allow us to study situations in which the gravitational source is quantum. Here, we propose a strategy to determine the dynamics of objects in the presence of mass configurations in superposition, and hence an indefinite spacetime metric, using quantum reference frame (QRF) transformations. Specifically, we show that, as long as the mass configurations in the different branches are related via relative-distance-preserving transformations, one can use an extension of the current framework of QRFs to change to a frame in which the mass configuration becomes definite. Assuming covariance of dynamical laws under quantum coordinate transformations, this allows to use known physics to determine the dynamics. We apply this procedure to find the motion of a probe particle and the behavior of clocks near the mass configuration, and thus find the time dilation caused by a gravitating object in superposition. Comparison with other models shows that semi-classical gravity and gravitational collapse models do not obey the covariance of dynamical laws under quantum coordinate transformations.
Stichwort
General relativity and gravityQuantum informationQuantum mechanicsTheoretical physics
Objekt-Typ
Sprache
Englisch [eng]
Persistent identifier
Erschienen in
Titel
Communications Physics
Band
6
ISSN
2399-3650
Erscheinungsdatum
2023
Publication
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Projekt
Kod / Identifikator
F7103-N48
Projekt
Kod / Identifikator
IF 2019 59 QRFQF
Projekt
Kod / Identifikator
766900
Fördergeber
Erscheinungsdatum
2023
Zugänglichkeit
Rechte
Rechteangabe
© The Author(s) 2023
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