Stone's theorem on one-parameter unitary groups and new observables?

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on Stone's theorem regarding one-parameter unitary groups and their implications for self-adjoint operators in quantum mechanics. Participants question whether the current list of operators, including position, momentum, and spin, is exhaustive or if additional one-parameter unitary groups could yield new observables. The conversation highlights the significance of spin as a half-integer representation of the rotation group SU(2) and seeks clarity on the existence of a classification theorem for these groups. The inquiry emphasizes the need for definitive answers regarding the potential for undiscovered observables in quantum theory.

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  • Understanding of Stone's theorem in functional analysis
  • Familiarity with one-parameter unitary groups
  • Knowledge of self-adjoint operators in quantum mechanics
  • Basic concepts of spin and angular momentum in quantum theory
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  • Research the implications of Stone's theorem on quantum mechanics
  • Explore the classification of one-parameter unitary groups
  • Study the role of spin in quantum mechanics and its representation
  • Investigate the relationship between self-adjoint operators and observables
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Quantum physicists, mathematicians specializing in functional analysis, and researchers exploring the foundations of quantum mechanics will benefit from this discussion.

victorvmotti
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Using unitary groups looking for new observables
I have been following the proof of the Stone's theorem on one-parameter unitary groups.

The question is if the current list of self-adjoint operators used in quantum mechanics, including position and momentum operators, is exhaustive or not?

Put it another way, can we say that there is no other one-parameter unitary groups, that can give us yet new self-adjoint operators, in addition to position and momentum ones, and therefore new observables?
 
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Of course there's one more important, which is spin. In non-relativistic QM it's just another angular-momentum operator in addition to the orbital-angular momentum operator ##\hat{\vec{L}}=\hat{\vec{x}} \times \hat{\vec{p}}##. While the orbital-angular momentum realizes only integer-representations of the rotation group, ##\ell \in \{0,1,2,\ldots \}##, the spin realizes also half-integer representations (which are representations of the covering group SU(2) of the rotation group SO(3)).

In the representation with wave functions you get spinor-valued fields, transforming under rotations like
$$\psi_{\sigma}'(\vec{x}')=D_{\sigma,\sigma'}(R) \psi_{\sigma'} (R^{-1} \vec{x}),$$
here ##D_{\sigma,\sigma'}## with ##\sigma,\sigma' \in \{-s,-s+1,\ldots,s-1,s \}## (and using the Einstein summation convention) is the representation of the rotation ##R## for particles with spin ##s \in \{0,1/2,1,\ldots \}##.
 
Thanks so much for the reply.

But my point wasn't about spin.

I actually meant if there is a classification theorem on one parameter unitary groups.

Do we know now that there is no other such group that if exist at all then its generator will give us some yet unknown observable in quantum theory?
 

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