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Rafael D. Sorkin

Publications and source records attributed to Rafael D. Sorkin.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
arXiv2006

A Bell Inequality Analog in Quantum Measure Theory

One obtains Bell's inequalities if one posits a hypothetical joint probability distribution, or {\it measure}, whose marginals yield the probabilities produced by the spin measurements in question. The existence of a joint measure is in turn equivalent to a certain causality condition known as ``screening off''. We show that if one assumes, more generally, a joint {\it quantal measure}, or ``decoherence functional'', one obtains instead an analogous inequality weaker by a factor of $\sqrt{2}$. The proof of this ``Tsirel'son inequality'' is geometrical and rests on the possibility of associating a Hilbert space to any strongly positive quantal measure. These results lead both to a {\it question}: ``Does a joint measure follow from some quantal analog of `screening off'?'', and to the {\it observation} that non-contextual hidden variables are viable in histories-based quantum mechanics, even if they are excluded classically.

quant-ph↗
arXiv2006

Quantum Dynamics without the Wave Function

When suitably generalized and interpreted, the path-integral offers an alternative to the more familiar quantal formalism based on state-vectors, selfadjoint operators, and external observers. Mathematically one generalizes the path-integral-as-propagator to a {\it quantal measure} $μ$ on the space $Ω$ of all ``conceivable worlds'', and this generalized measure expresses the dynamics or law of motion of the theory, much as Wiener measure expresses the dynamics of Brownian motion. Within such ``histories-based'' schemes new, and more ``realistic'' possibilities open up for resolving the philosophical problems of the state-vector formalism. In particular, one can dispense with the need for external agents by locating the predictive content of $μ$ in its sets of measure zero: such sets are to be ``precluded''. But unrestricted application of this rule engenders contradictions. One possible response would remove the contradictions by circumscribing the application of the preclusion concept. Another response, more in the tradition of ``quantum logic'', would accommodate the contradictions by dualizing $Ω$ to a space of ``co-events'' and effectively identifying reality with an element of this dual space.

quant-ph↗
arXiv2006

Discreteness without symmetry breaking: a theorem

This paper concerns sprinklings into Minkowski space (Poisson processes). It proves that there exists no equivariant measurable map from sprinklings to spacetime directions (even locally). Therefore, if a discrete structure is associated to a sprinkling in an intrinsic manner, then the structure will not pick out a preferred frame, locally or globally. This implies that the discreteness of a sprinkled causal set will not give rise to ``Lorentz breaking'' effects like modified dispersion relations. Another consequence is that there is no way to associate a finite-valency graph to a sprinkling consistently with Lorentz invariance.

gr-qc↗
arXiv2006

Occam's razor meets WMAP

Using a variety of quantitative implementations of Occam's razor we examine the low quadrupole, the ``axis of evil'' effect and other detections recently made appealing to the excellent WMAP data. We find that some razors {\it fully} demolish the much lauded claims for departures from scale-invariance. They all reduce to pathetic levels the evidence for a low quadrupole (or any other low $\ell$ cut-off), both in the first and third year WMAP releases. The ``axis of evil'' effect is the only anomaly examined here that survives the humiliations of Occam's razor, and even then in the category of ``strong'' rather than ``decisive'' evidence. Statistical considerations aside, differences between the various renditions of the datasets remain worrying.

astro-ph↗
arXiv2005

A Quantitative Occam's Razor

This paper derives an objective Bayesian "prior" based on considerations of entropy/information. By this means, it produces a quantitative measure of goodness of fit (the "H-statistic") that balances higher likelihood against the number of fitting parameters employed. The method is intended for phenomenological applications where the underlying theory is uncertain or unknown. For example, it can help decide whether the large angle anomalies in the CMB data should be taken seriously. I am therefore posting it now, even though it was published before the arxiv existed.

astro-ph↗
arXiv2005

Brownian motion at absolute zero

We derive a general quantum formula giving the mean-square displacement of a diffusing particle as a function of time. Near {\bf 0 K} we find a universal logarithmic behavior (valid for times longer than the relaxation time), and deviations from classical behavior can also be significant at larger values of time and temperature. Our derivation depends neither on the specific composition of the heat bath nor on the strength of the coupling between the bath and the particle. An experimental regime of microseconds and microdegrees Kelvin would elicit the pure logarithmic diffusion.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗
arXiv2005

Big extra dimensions make Lambda too small

I argue that the true quantum gravity scale cannot be much larger than the Planck length, because if it were then the quantum gravity-induced fluctuations in $\Lam$ would be insufficient to produce the observed cosmic ``dark energy''. If one accepts this argument, it rules out scenarios of the ``large extra dimensions'' type. I also point out that the relation between the lower and higher dimensional gravitational constants in a Kaluza-Klein theory is precisely what is needed in order that a black hole's entropy admit a consistent higher dimensional interpretation in terms of an underlying spatio-temporal discreteness.

gr-qc↗
arXiv2004

Quantum Gravity Phenomenology, Lorentz Invariance and Discreteness

Contrary to what is often stated, a fundamental spacetime discreteness need not contradict Lorentz invariance. A causal set's discreteness is in fact locally Lorentz invariant, and we recall the reasons why. For illustration, we introduce a phenomenological model of massive particles propagating in a Minkowski spacetime which arises from an underlying causal set. The particles undergo a Lorentz invariant diffusion in phase space, and we speculate on whether this could have any bearing on the origin of high energy cosmic rays.

gr-qc↗
arXiv2003

Indecomposable Ideals in Incidence Algebras

The elements of a finite partial order $P$ can be identified with the maximal indecomposable two-sided ideals of its incidence algebra $\A$, and then for two such ideals, $I\prec J \iff IJ \not=0$. This offers one way to recover a poset from its incidence algebra. In the course of proving the above, we classify all of the two-sided ideals of $\A$.

math.CO↗
arXiv2003

Causal Sets: Discrete Gravity (Notes for the Valdivia Summer School)

These are lecture notes on causal set theory prepared in Jan. 2002 for a Summer School in Valdivia, Chile. In some places, they are more complete, in others much less so, regrettably. An extensive set of references and a glossary of terms can be found at the end of the notes.

gr-qc↗
arXiv2003

Black Hole Entropy as Causal Links

We model a black hole spacetime as a causal set and count, with a certain definition, the number of causal links crossing the horizon in proximity to a spacelike or null hypersurface $Σ$. We find that this number is proportional to the horizon's area on $Σ$, thus supporting the interpretation of the links as the ``horizon atoms'' that account for its entropy. The cases studied include not only equilibrium black holes but ones far from equilibrium.

gr-qc↗
arXiv2002

"Observables" in causal set cosmology

The ``generic'' family of classical sequential growth dynamics for causal sets provides cosmological models of causal sets which are a testing ground for ideas about the, as yet unknown, quantum theory. In particular we can investigate how general covariance manifests itself and address the problem of identifying and interpreting covariant ``observables'' in quantum gravity. The problem becomes, in this setting, that of identifying measurable covariant collections of causal sets, to each of which corresponds the question: ``Does the causal set that occurs belong to this collection?'' It has for answer the probability measure of the collection. Answerable covariant questions, then, correspond to measurable collections of causal sets which are independent of the labelings of the causal sets. However, what the transition probabilities of the classical sequential growth dynamics provide directly is a measure on the space of {\it labeled} causal sets and the physical interpretation of the covariant measurable collections is consequently obscured. We show that there is a physically meaningful characterisation of the class of measurable covariant sets as unions and differences of ``stem sets''.

gr-qc↗
arXiv2002

General Covariance and the "Problem of Time" in a Discrete Cosmology

Identifying an appropriate set of ``observables'' is a nontrivial task for most approaches to quantum gravity. We describe how it may be accomplished in the context of a recently proposed family of stochastic (but classical) dynamical laws for causal sets. The underlying idea should work equally well in the quantum case.

gr-qc↗
arXiv2001

Indications of causal set cosmology

Within the context of a recently proposed family of stochastic dynamical laws for causal sets, one can ask whether the universe might have emerged from the quantum-gravity era with a large enough size and with sufficient homogeneity to explain its present-day large-scale structure. In general, such a scenario would be expected to require the introduction of very large or very small fundamental parameters into the theory. However, there are indications that such ``fine tuning'' is not necessary, and a large homogeneous and isotropic cosmos can emerge naturally, thanks to the action of a kind of renormalization group associated with cosmic cycles of expansion and re-contraction.

gr-qc↗
arXiv2000

A Historical Perspective on Cancer

It is proposed that cancer results from the breakdown of universal control mechanisms which developed in mutual association as part of the historical process that brought individual cells together into multi-cellular communities. By systematically comparing the genomes of uni-celled with multi-celled organisms, one might be able to identify the most promising sites for intervention aimed at restoring the damaged control mechanisms and thereby arresting the cancer.

physics.bio-ph↗
arXiv1997

The Statistical Mechanics of Black Hole Thermodynamics

Although we have convincing evidence that a black hole bears an entropy proportional to its surface (horizon) area, the ``statistical mechanical'' explanation of this entropy remains unknown. Two basic questions in this connection are: what is the microscopic origin of the entropy, and why does the law of entropy increase continue to hold when the horizon entropy is included? After a review of some of the difficulties in answering these questions, I propose an explanation of the law of entropy increase which comes near to a proof in the context of the ``semi-classical'' approximation, and which also provides a proof in full quantum gravity under the assumption that the latter fulfills certain natural expectations, like the existence of a conserved energy definable at infinity. This explanation seems to require a fundamental spacetime discreteness in order for the entropy to be consistently finite, and I recall briefly some of the ideas for what the discreteness might be. If such ideas are right, then our knowledge of the horizon entropy will allow us to ``count the atoms of spacetime''.

gr-qc↗
arXiv1997

An Analysis of the Representations of the Mapping Class Group of a Multi-Geon Three-Manifold

It is well known that the inequivalent unitary irreducible representations (UIR's) of the mapping class group $G$ of a 3-manifold give rise to ``theta sectors'' in theories of quantum gravity with fixed spatial topology. In this paper, we study several families of UIR's of $G$ and attempt to understand the physical implications of the resulting quantum sectors. The mapping class group of a three-manifold which is the connected sum of $\R^3$ with a finite number of identical irreducible primes is a semi-direct product group. Following Mackey's theory of induced representations, we provide an analysis of the structure of the general finite dimensional UIR of such a group. In the picture of quantized primes as particles (topological geons), this general group-theoretic analysis enables one to draw several interesting qualitative conclusions about the geons' behavior in different quantum sectors, without requiring an explicit knowledge of the UIR's corresponding to the individual primes.

gr-qc↗