Constraints, Hermiticity, and Correspondence

Journal Article · Tue May 15 00:00:00 EDT 1979 · Phys. Rev., D; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.19.2908· OSTI ID:6249268

Komar, A

In order to expose the essential features of the quantization of a theory with constraints, we consider the most elementary system, that of a free particle. We show that even for this simple system, when expressed in a constraint formalism, it requires the introduction of an indefinite metric in the Hilbert space, non-Hermitian constraints, and indeed most other features which we have come to associate with the Gupta-Bleuler formalism of electrodynamics. By introducing a conceptually new object, the quasiobservable, we show how an Ehrenfest correspondence principle may be obtained for the resulting quantum theory.

• Research Organization: Yeshiva University, Department of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, 2495 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, New York 10033
• OSTI ID: 6249268
• Journal Information: Phys. Rev., D; (United States), Vol. 19:10
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
GRAVITATIONAL FIELDS
EINSTEIN FIELD EQUATIONS
QUANTUM FIELD THEORY
HERMITIAN OPERATORS
CLASSICAL MECHANICS
ELECTRODYNAMICS
GENERAL RELATIVITY THEORY
HILBERT SPACE
BANACH SPACE
EQUATIONS
FIELD EQUATIONS
FIELD THEORIES
MATHEMATICAL OPERATORS
MATHEMATICAL SPACE
MECHANICS
SPACE
645201* - High Energy Physics- Particle Interactions & Properties-Theoretical- General & Scattering Theory
645400 - High Energy Physics- Field Theory
657003 - Theoretical & Mathematical Physics- Relativity & Gravitation