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Jeeva S. Anandan

Publications and source records attributed to Jeeva S. Anandan.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

Geometric phases for mixed states in interferometry

We provide a physical prescription based on interferometry for introducing the total phase of a mixed state undergoing unitary evolution, which has been an elusive concept in the past. We define the parallel transport condition that provides a connection-form for obtaining the geometric phase for mixed states. The expression for the geometric phase for mixed state reduces to well known formulas in the pure state case when a system undergoes noncyclic and unitary quantum evolution.

quant-ph

Classical and Quantum Interaction of the Dipole

A unified and fully relativistic treatment of the interaction of the electric and magnetic dipole moments of a particle with the electromagnetic field is given. New forces on the particle due to the combined effect of electric and magnetic dipoles are obtained. Four new experiments are proposed, three of which would observe topological phase shifts.

hep-th

Remarks on Cosmic Strings and Quantum Gravity

A quantum equivalence principle is formulated by means of a gravitational phase operator which is an element of the Poincare group. This is applied to the spinning cosmic string which suggests that it may, but not necessarily, contain gravitational torsion. A new exact solution of the Einstein- Cartan-Sciama-Kibble equations for the gravitational field with torsion is obtained everywhere for a cosmic string with uniform energy density, spin density and flux. The quantization condition for fluxoid due to London and DeWitt is generalized to include the spin flux. A novel effect due to the quantized gravitational field of the cosmic string on the wave function of a particle outside the string is used to show that spacetime points are not meaningful in quantum gravity.

gr-qc

Are There Dynamical Laws?

The nature of a physical law is examined, and it is suggested that there may not be any fundamental dynamical laws. This explains the intrinsic indeterminism of quantum theory. The probabilities for transition from a given initial state to a final state then depends on the quantum geometry that is determined by symmetries, which may exist as relations between states in the absence of dynamical laws. This enables the experimentally well confirmed quantum probabilities to be derived from the geometry of Hilbert space, and gives rise to effective probabilistic laws. An arrow of time which is consistent with the one given by the second law of thermodynamics, regarded as an effective law, is obtained. Symmetries are used as the basis for a new proposed paradigm of physics. This gives rise naturally to the gravitational and gauge fields from the symmetry group of the standard model, and a general procedure for obtaining interactions from any symmetry group.

quant-ph

The Secret Life of the Dipole

A new force on the magnetic dipole, which exists in the presence of both electric and magnetic fields, is described. Its origin due to the `hidden momentum', implications and possible experimental tests are discussed.

hep-th

Relativistic Spin-Statistics Connection and Kaluza-Klein Space-Time

The non-relativistic formalism introduced by Berry and Robbins that naturally incorporates the spin-statistics connection is generalized relativistically. It is then extended to an arbitrary Kaluza-Klein space-time by a suitable generalization of the Schwinger treatment of angular momenta. This leads, in this approach, to the inclusion of the `internal' quantum numbers in the spin-statistics connection on an equal footing with spin.

hep-th

Classical and Quantum Physical Geometry

The task of quantizing gravity is compared with Einstein's relativization of gravity. The philosophical and physical foundations of general relativity are briefly reviewed. The Ehlers-Pirani-Schild scheme of operationally determining the geometry of space-time, using freely falling classical particle trajectories, is done using operations in an infinitesimal neighborhood around each point. The study of the free fall of a quantum wave suggests a quantum principle of equivalence. The principle of general covariance is clarified. The sign change of a Fermion field when rotated by $2π$ radians is used to argue for a quantum mechanical modification of space-time, which leads naturally to supersymmetry. A novel effect in quantum gravity due to the author is used to extend Einstein's hole argument to quantum gravity. This suggests a quantum principle of general covariance, according to which the fundamental laws of physics should be covariant under `quantum diffeomorphisms'. This heuristic principle implies that space-time points have no invariant meaning in quantum gravity.

gr-qc