Milton H. Perea | Searcharxiv

arXiv2013

The irreversible quantum

We elaborate on the existing notion that quantum mechanics is an emergent phenomenon, by presenting a thermodynamical theory that is dual to quantum mechanics. This dual theory is that of classical irreversible thermodynamics. The linear regime of irreversibility considered here corresponds to the semiclassical approximation in quantum mechanics. An important issue we address is how the irreversibility of time evolution in thermodynamics is mapped onto the quantum-mechanical side of the correspondence.

quant-ph↗

arXiv2013

Emergent quantum mechanics as a thermal ensemble

It has been argued that gravity acts dissipatively on quantum-mechanical systems, inducing thermal fluctuations that become indistinguishable from quantum fluctuations. This has led some authors to demand that some form of time irreversibility be incorporated into the formalism of quantum mechanics. As a tool towards this goal we propose a thermodynamical approach to quantum mechanics, based on Onsager's classical theory of irreversible processes and on Prigogine's nonunitary transformation theory. An entropy operator replaces the Hamiltonian as the generator of evolution. The canonically conjugate variable corresponding to the entropy is a dimensionless evolution parameter. Contrary to the Hamiltonian, the entropy operator is not a conserved Noether charge. Our construction succeeds in implementing gravitationally-induced irreversibility in the quantum theory.

math-ph↗

arXiv2012

Emergence from irreversibility

The emergent nature of quantum mechanics is shown to follow from a precise correspondence with the classical theory of irreversible thermodynamics.

math-ph↗