This textbook presents in a concise and self-contained way the advanced fundamental mathematical structures in quantum theory. It is based on lectures prepared for a 6 months course for MSc students. The reader is introduced to the beautiful interconnection between logic, lattice theory, general probability theory, and general spectral theory including the basic theory of von Neumann algebras and of the algebraic formulation, naturally arising in the study of the mathematical machinery of quantum theories. Some general results concerning hidden-variable interpretations of QM such as Gleason's and the Kochen-Specker theorems and the related notions of realism and non-contextuality are carefully discussed. This is done also in relation with the famous Bell (BCHSH) inequality concerning local causality.
Autorentext
Prof. Valter Moretti is Full Professor of Mathematical Physics at the University of Trento (Italy). His research interests include rigorous quantum field theory in curved spacetime, mathematical aspects of quantum mechanics and general relativity, the applications of operator algebras, functional analysis and global analysis to quantum field theory, and mathematical (analytic and geometric) methods for physics.
Inhalt
General Phenomenology of the Quantum World and Elementary Formalism.- Hilbert Spaces and Classes of Operators.- Observables and States in General Hilbert Spaces: Spectral Theory.- Fundamental Quantum Structures on Hilbert Spaces.- Realism, Non-Contextuality, Local Causality, Entanglement.- von Neumann Algebras of Observables and Superselection Rules.- Quantum Symmetries.- The Algebraic Formulation.