Possibility of violations of Born's rule in two dimensions?

In summary, Gleason's theorem, which states that the dimension of the Hilbert space must be greater than two for it to hold, does not allow for violations of Born's rule in two-dimensional systems. However, a new version of the theorem based on POVM's has been proposed that works in two dimensions with a slightly stronger assumption. There have been no experiments conducted to check for violations of Born's rule in 2D systems. If we weaken the assumption to the original Gleason's theorem, a counterexample can be produced showing that the theorem fails in 2D. Such a counterexample exists, but it is not currently known.
  • #1
greypilgrim
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Hi,

Gleason's theorem fails if the dimension of the Hilbert space is two. Does this allow for violations of Born's rule in two-dimensional systems? Or can you somehow tensor the system with the (ever-present and infinite-dimensional) Hilbert space of the rest of the universe, apply Gleason's theorem and reduce to the system again to find Born's rule in the original 2D system?

Have experiments been conducted to check for violations of Born's rule in 2D systems?
 
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  • #2
greypilgrim said:
Gleason's theorem fails if the dimension of the Hilbert space is two. Does this allow for violations of Born's rule in two-dimensional systems?

No.

The new version of Gleason based on POVM's rather than resolutions of the identity works in two dimensions - the assumption is just slightly stronger - in fact some would say more intuitive because its doesn't have the positive operators as disjoint which seems a bit unnatural when you think about it.

Thanks
Bill
 
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  • #3
bhobba said:
No.

The new version of Gleason based on POVM's rather than resolutions of the identity works in two dimensions - the assumption is just slightly stronger - in fact some would say more intuitive because its doesn't have the positive operators as disjoint which seems a bit unnatural when you think about it.

Thanks
Bill

But if we weaken the assumption to the original Gleason's theorem, can a counterexample be produced showing that the theorem truly fails in 2D (as opposed to a proof not having yet been found)?
 
  • #4
atyy said:
But if we weaken the assumption to the original Gleason's theorem, can a counterexample be produced showing that the theorem truly fails in 2D (as opposed to a proof not having yet been found)?

Gleason fails in 2D in its original form because a counterexample exists showing its not true.

And no I can't recall the counter example.

Thanks
Bill
 
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1. What is Born's rule in two dimensions?

Born's rule is a fundamental principle in quantum mechanics that states that the probability of finding a particle in a certain location is proportional to the absolute square of the wave function at that location. In two dimensions, the wave function describes the probability amplitude of finding a particle in a specific position in a two-dimensional plane.

2. Can Born's rule be violated in two dimensions?

Theoretically, Born's rule can be violated in any dimension. However, in two dimensions, the probability of such a violation is extremely low. Born's rule has been extensively tested and verified in experiments, and no significant violations have been observed in two dimensions.

3. What factors could potentially lead to a violation of Born's rule in two dimensions?

There are various theoretical proposals that suggest possible factors that could lead to a violation of Born's rule in two dimensions. These include the presence of non-local interactions, non-Hermitian Hamiltonians, and higher-dimensional effects. However, these proposals have not been experimentally verified and remain speculative.

4. How is Born's rule tested in two dimensions?

Born's rule is typically tested in two dimensions by performing experiments with particles confined to a two-dimensional plane, such as electrons in a thin film or photons in a waveguide. The probability distribution of the particles' positions is then compared to the predictions of Born's rule. So far, these experiments have confirmed Born's rule in two dimensions.

5. What are the implications if Born's rule is found to be violated in two dimensions?

If Born's rule is found to be violated in two dimensions, it would have significant implications for our understanding of quantum mechanics. It could potentially lead to the development of new theories that better describe the behavior of particles in two dimensions. However, as mentioned earlier, no significant violations of Born's rule have been observed in experiments in two dimensions.

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