Quantum fog and the degradation of information by the gravitational field

Journal Article · Thu Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1993 · General Relativity and Gravitation; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00756940· OSTI ID:5972873

Sciffer, M ^[1]

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1. CERN, Geneva (Switzerland)

In this paper the authors discuss how information transferred optically through a gravitational field is degraded as the quanta interact with the medium (vacuum state). The authors quantify information by means of Shannon's entropy, and consider information carriers that are quanta of some field. Next, the authors obtain the quantum noise ([open quote]quantum fog[close quote]) produced by the gravitational field and derive the appropriate [open quote]channel capacity[close quote] formula, which quantifies the maximum amount of information that can be transmitted per pulse, in the face of this noise. It is shown that the channel capacity formula vanishes if the source of information is a space-time singularity because a very intense noise is produced in the vicinity of the singularity. In other words, space-time singularities are hidden behind a very intense [open quote]quantum fog[close quote] and cannot be optically observed. A second consequence is that information is degraded as anisotropies (lumpiness) develop in the universe. 32 refs., 9 figs., 5 figs.

• OSTI ID: 5972873
• Journal Information: General Relativity and Gravitation; (United States), Vol. 25:7; ISSN 0001-7701
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
INFORMATION THEORY
QUANTUM MECHANICS
NOISE
COMMUNICATIONS
ENTROPY
GRAVITATIONAL FIELDS
OPTICS
SINGULARITY
SPACE-TIME
MECHANICS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
661100* - Classical & Quantum Mechanics- (1992-)
661300 - Other Aspects of Physical Science- (1992-)