arXiv subjects

L. P. Horwitz

Publications and source records attributed to L. P. Horwitz.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

arXiv1996

Chaotic Signatures in the Spectrum of a Quantum Double Well

The spectrum of a double well constructed of a square barrier embedded in an infinite well is analyzed. Level statistics for levels slightly above the barrier show signs of Wigner statistics usually associated with quantum chaos. The correspondence with Wigner statistics improves when an ensemble of systems with slightly different barrier heights is taken, possibly reflecting an adiabatic time-dependent modulation of the barrier.

cond-mat↗

arXiv1996

Hypercomplex quantum mechanics

The fundamental axioms of the quantum theory do not explicitly identify the algebraic structure of the linear space for which orthogonal subspaces correspond to the propositions (equivalence classes of physical questions). The projective geometry of the weakly modular orthocomplemented lattice of propositions may be imbedded in a complex Hilbert space; this is the structure which has traditionally been used. This paper reviews some work which has been devoted to generalizing the target space of this imbedding to Hilbert modules of a more general type. In particular, detailed discussion is given of the simplest generalization of the complex Hilbert space, that of the quaternion Hilbert module.

quant-ph↗

arXiv1996

Off-Shell Quantum Electrodynamics

More than twenty years have passed since the threads of the `proper time formalism' in covariant classical and quantum mechanics were brought together to construct a canonical formalism for the relativistic mechanics of many particles. Drawing on the work of Fock, Stueckelberg, Nambu, Schwinger, and Feynman, the formalism was raised from the status of a purely formal mathematical technique to a covariant evolution theory for interacting particles. In the context of this theory, solutions have been found for the relativistic bound state problem, classical and quantum scattering in relativistic potentials, as well as applications in statistical mechanics. It has been shown that a generalization of the Maxwell theory is required in order that the electromagnetic interaction be well-posed in the theory. The resulting theory of electromagnetism involves a fifth gauge field introduced to compensate for the dependence of the gauge transformation on the invariant time parameter; permitting such dependence relaxes the requirement that individual particles be on fixed mass shells and allows exchange of mass during scattering. In this paper, we develop the quantum field theory of off-shell electromagnetism, and use it to calculate certain elementary processes, including Compton scattering and Møller scattering. These calculations lead to {\em qualitative} deviations from the usual scattering cross-sections, which are, however, small effects, but may be visible at small angles near the forward direction. The familiar IR divergence of the Møller scattering is, moreover, completely regularized.

hep-th↗

arXiv1995

Covariant Thermodynamics and ``Realistic'' Friedmann Model

We discuss a cosmological Friedmann model modified by inclusion of off-shell matter which has an equation of state $p,ρ\propto T^5,$ $p=1/4ρ.$ Such matter is shown to have energy density comparable with that of non-interacting radiation at temperatures of the order of the Hagedorn temperature, $\sim 10^{12}$ K, indicating the possibility of a phase transition. It is argued that the $T^5$-phase, or an admixture, lies below the high-temperature $T^4$-phase.

hep-th↗

arXiv1995

On Relativistic Bose-Einstein Condensation

We discuss the properties of an ideal relativistic gas of events possessing Bose-Einstein statistics. We find that the mass spectrum of such a system is bounded by $μ\leq m\leq 2M/μ_K,$ where $μ$ is the usual chemical potential, $M$ is an intrinsic dimensional scale parameter for the motion of an event in space-time, and $μ_K$ is an additional mass potential of the ensemble. For the system including both particles and antiparticles, with nonzero chemical potential $μ,$ the mass spectrum is shown to be bounded by $|μ|\leq m\leq 2M/μ_K,$ and a special type of high-temperature Bose-Einstein condensation can occur. We study this Bose-Einstein condensation, and show that it corresponds to a phase transition from the sector of continuous relativistic mass distributions to a sector in which the boson mass distribution becomes sharp at a definite mass $M/μ_K.$ This phenomenon provides a mechanism for the mass distribution of the particles to be sharp at some definite value.

hep-th↗

arXiv1995

Generalized Boltzmann Equation in a Manifestly Covariant Relativistic Statistical Mechanics

We consider the relativistic statistical mechanics of an ensemble of $N$ events with motion in space-time parametrized by an invariant ``historical time'' $τ.$ We generalize the approach of Yang and Yao, based on the Wigner distribution functions and the Bogoliubov hypotheses, to find the approximate dynamical equation for the kinetic state of any nonequilibrium system to the relativistic case, and obtain a manifestly covariant Boltzmann-type equation which is a relativistic generalization of the Boltzmann-Uehling-Uhlenbeck (BUU) equation for indistinguishable particles. This equation is then used to prove the $H$-theorem for evolution in $τ.$ In the equilibrium limit, the covariant forms of the standard statistical mechanical distributions are obtained. We introduce two-body interactions by means of the direct action potential $V(q),$ where $q$ is an invariant distance in the Minkowski space-time. The two-body correlations are taken to have the support in a relative $O( 2,1)$-invariant subregion of the full spacelike region. The expressions for the energy density and pressure are obtained and shown to have the same forms (in terms of an invariant distance parameter) as those of the nonrelativistic theory and to provide the correct nonrelativistic limit.

hep-th↗

arXiv1995

5D Generalized Inflationary Cosmology

We consider 5D Kaluza-Klein type cosmological model with the fifth coordinate being a generalization of the invariant ``historical'' time $τ$ of the covariant theory of Horwitz and Piron. We distinguish between vacuum-, off-shell matter-, and on-shell matter-dominated eras as the solutions of the corresponding 5D gravitational field equations, and build an inflationary scenario according to which passage from the off-shell matter-dominated era to the on-shell one occurs, probably as a phase transition. We study the effect of this phase transition on the expansion rate in both cases of local $O(4,1)$ and $O(3,2)$ invariance of the extended $(x^μ,τ)$ manifold and show that it does not change in either case. The expansion of the model we consider is not adiabatic; the thermodynamic entropy is a growing function of cosmic time for the closed universe, and can be a growing function of historical time for the open and the flat universe. A complete solution of the 5D gravitational field equations is obtained for the on-shell matter-dominated universe. The open and the closed universe are shown to tend asymptotically to the standard 4D cosmological models, in contrast to the flat universe which does not have the corresponding limit. Finally, possible cosmological implications are briefly discussed.

hep-th↗

arXiv1995

Towards a Realistic Equation of State of Strongly Interacting Matter

We consider a relativistic strongly interacting Bose gas. The interaction is manifested in the off-shellness of the equilibrium distribution. The equation of state that we obtain for such a gas has the properties of a realistic equation of state of strongly interacting matter, i.e., at low temperature it agrees with the one suggested by Shuryak for hadronic matter, while at high temperature it represents the equation of state of an ideal ultrarelativistic Stefan-Boltzmann gas, implying a phase transition to an effectively weakly interacting phase.

hep-th↗

arXiv1995

Quarks in the Skyrme-'t Hooft-Witten Model

The three-flavor Skyrme-'t Hooft-Witten model is interpreted in terms of a quark-like substructure, leading to a new model of explicitly confined color-free ``quarks'' reminiscent of Gell-Mann's original pre-color quarks, but with unexpected and significant differences.

hep-th↗

arXiv1995

On Feynman's Approach to the Foundations of Gauge Theory

In 1948, Feynman showed Dyson how the Lorentz force and Maxwell equations could be derived from commutation relations coordinates and velocities. Several authors noted that the derived equations are not Lorentz covariant and so are not the standard Maxwell theory. In particular, Hojman and Shepley proved that the existence of commutation relations is a strong assumption, sufficient to determine the corresponding action, which for Feynman's derivation is of Newtonian form. Tanimura generalized Feynman's derivation to a Lorentz covariant form, however, this derivation does not lead to the standard Maxwell theory either. Tanimura's force equation depends on a fifth ({\it scalar}) electromagnetic potential, and the invariant evolution parameter cannot be consistently identified with the proper time of the particle motion. Moreover, the derivation cannot be made reparameterization invariant; the scalar potential causes violations of the mass-shell constraint which this invariance should guarantee. In this paper, we examine Tanimura's derivation in the framework of the proper time method in relativistic mechanics, and use the technique of Hojman and Shepley to study the unconstrained commutation relations. We show that Tanimura's result then corresponds to the five-dimensional electromagnetic theory previously derived from a Stueckelberg-type quantum theory in which one gauges the invariant parameter in the proper time method. This theory provides the final step in Feynman's program of deriving the Maxwell theory from commutation relations; the Maxwell theory emerges as the ``correlation limit'' of a more general gauge theory, in which it is properly contained.

hep-th↗

arXiv1994

The Zeeman Effect for the Relativistic Bound State

In the context of a relativistic quantum mechanics with invariant evolution parameter, solutions for the relativistic bound state problem have been found, which yield a spectrum for the total mass coinciding with the nonrelativistic Schrödinger energy spectrum. These spectra were obtained by choosing an arbitrary spacelike unit vector $n_μ$ and restricting the support of the eigenfunctions in spacetime to the subspace of the Minkowski measure space, for which $(x_\perp )^2 = [x-(x \cdot n) n ]^2 \geq 0$. In this paper, we examine the Zeeman effect for these bound states, which requires $n_μ$ to be a dynamical quantity. We recover the usual Zeeman splitting in a manifestly covariant form.

hep-th↗

arXiv1994

Relativistic mass distribution in event-anti-event system and ``realistic'' equation of state for hot hadronic matter

We find the equation of state $p,ρ\propto T^6,$ which gives the value of the sound velocity $c^2=0.20,$ in agreement with the ``realistic'' equation of state for hot hadronic matter suggested by Shuryak, in the framework of a covariant relativistic statistical mechanics of an event--anti-event system with small chemical and mass potentials. The relativistic mass distribution for such a system is obtained and shown to be a good candidate for fitting hadronic resonances, in agreement with the phenomenological models of Hagedorn, Shuryak, {\it et al.} This distribution provides a correction to the value of specific heat 3/2, of the order of 5.5\%, at low temperatures.

hep-ph↗

arXiv1994

Galilean limit of equilibrium relativistic mass distribution for indistinguishable events

The relativistic distribution for indistinguishable events is considered in the mass-shell limit $m^2\cong M^2,$ where $M$ is a given intrinsic property of the events. The characteristic thermodynamic quantities are calculated and subject to the zero-mass and the high-temperature limits. The results are shown to be in agreement with the corresponding expressions of an on-mass-shell relativistic kinetic theory. The Galilean limit $c\rightarrow \infty ,$ which coincides in form with the low-temperature limit, is considered. The theory is shown to pass over to a nonrelativistic statistical mechanics of indistinguishable particles.

hep-th↗

arXiv1994

The Unstable System in Relativistic Quantum Mechanics

A soluble model for the relativistically description of an unstable system is given in terms of relativistic quantum field theory, with a structure similar to Van Hove's generalization of the Lee model in the non-relativistic theory.

hep-th↗

arXiv1993

Galilean Limit of Equilibrium Relativistic Mass Distribution

The low-temperature form of the equilibrium relativistic mass distribution is subject to the Galilean limit by taking $c\rightarrow \infty .$ In this limit the relativistic Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution passes to the usual nonrelativistic form and the Dulong-Petit law is recovered.

hep-ph↗

arXiv1993

Equilibrium Relativistic Mass Distribution for Indistinguishable Events

A manifestly covariant relativistic statistical mechanics of the system of $N$ indistinguishable events with motion in space-time parametrized by an invariant ``historical time'' $τ$ is considered. The relativistic mass distribution for such a system is obtained from the equilibrium solution of the generalized relativistic Boltzmann equation by integration over angular and hyperbolic angular variables. All the characteristic averages are calculated. Expressions for the pressure and the density of events are found and the relativistic equation of state is obtained. The Galilean limit is considered; the theory is shown to pass over to the usual nonrelativistic statistical mechanics of indistinguishable particles.

hep-ph↗

arXiv1993

Equilibrium Relativistic Mass Distribution

The relativistic Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution for the system of $N$ events with motion in space-time parametrized by an invariant ``historical time'' $τ$ is considered without the simplifying approximation $m^2\cong M^2$, where $M$ is a given intrinsic property of the events. The relativistic mass distribution is obtained and the average values of $m$ and $m^2$ are calculated. The average value of the energy in nonrelativistic limit gives a correction of the order of 10\% to the Dulong-Petit law. Expressions for the pressure and the density of events are obtained and the ideal gas law is recovered.

hep-ph↗

arXiv1993

A Soluble Model for Scattering and Decay in Quaternionic Quantum Mechanics I: Decay

The Lee-Friedrichs model has been very useful in the study of decay-scattering systems in the framework of complex quantum mechanics. Since it is exactly soluble, the analytic structure of the amplitudes can be explicitly studied. It is shown in this paper that a similar model, which is also exactly soluble, can be constructed in quaternionic quantum mechanics. The problem of the decay of an unstable system is treated here. The use of the Laplace transform, involving quaternion-valued analytic functions of a variable with values in a complex subalgebra of the quaternion algebra, makes the analytic properties of the solution apparent; some analysis is given of the dominating structure in the analytic continuation to the lower half plane. A study of the corresponding scattering system will be given in a succeeding paper.

hep-th↗