Nonlocal Appearance of a Macroscopic Angular Momentum

G. S. Paraoanu; R. Healey

doi:10.1007/s10773-011-1056-8

Nonlocal Appearance of a Macroscopic Angular Momentum

G. S. Paraoanu
, R. Healey

Philosophy

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

We discuss a type of measurement in which a macroscopically large angular momentum (spin) is "created" nonlocally by the measurement of just a few atoms from a double Fock state. This procedure apparently leads to a blatant nonconservation of a macroscopic variable-the local angular momentum. We argue that while this gedankenexperiment provides a striking illustration of several counter-intuitive features of quantum mechanics, it does not imply a non-local violation of the conservation of angular momentum.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	1783-1791
Number of pages	9
Journal	International Journal of Theoretical Physics
Volume	51
Issue number	6
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1007/s10773-011-1056-8
State	Published - Jun 2012

Keywords

Bose-Einstein condensate
Nonlocality
Quantum measurement

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Mathematics
Physics and Astronomy (miscellaneous)

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10.1007/s10773-011-1056-8

Cite this

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abstract = "We discuss a type of measurement in which a macroscopically large angular momentum (spin) is {"}created{"} nonlocally by the measurement of just a few atoms from a double Fock state. This procedure apparently leads to a blatant nonconservation of a macroscopic variable-the local angular momentum. We argue that while this gedankenexperiment provides a striking illustration of several counter-intuitive features of quantum mechanics, it does not imply a non-local violation of the conservation of angular momentum.",

keywords = "Bose-Einstein condensate, Nonlocality, Quantum measurement",

author = "Paraoanu, \{G. S.\} and R. Healey",

note = "Funding Information: Acknowledgements The research for this work was initially funded by the Templeton Research Fellows Program “Philosophers–Physicists Cooperation Project on the Nature of Quantum Reality” at the Austrian Academy of Science{\textquoteright}s Institute for Quantum Optics and Quantum Information, Vienna, which allowed the authors to spend the summer of 2009 at IQOQI Vienna. Special thanks go to our hosts in Vienna, Prof. A. Zeilinger and Prof. M. Aspelmeyer, who have made this visit possible, and additionally to the scientists in the institute for many enlightening discussions. Also, GSP acknowledges support from the Academy of Finland (Acad. Res. Fellowship 00857, and projects 129896, 118122, 135135, and 141559). The contribution by RH to this material is partially based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. SES-0848022.",

year = "2012",

month = jun,

doi = "10.1007/s10773-011-1056-8",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "51",

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T1 - Nonlocal Appearance of a Macroscopic Angular Momentum

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AU - Healey, R.

N1 - Funding Information: Acknowledgements The research for this work was initially funded by the Templeton Research Fellows Program “Philosophers–Physicists Cooperation Project on the Nature of Quantum Reality” at the Austrian Academy of Science’s Institute for Quantum Optics and Quantum Information, Vienna, which allowed the authors to spend the summer of 2009 at IQOQI Vienna. Special thanks go to our hosts in Vienna, Prof. A. Zeilinger and Prof. M. Aspelmeyer, who have made this visit possible, and additionally to the scientists in the institute for many enlightening discussions. Also, GSP acknowledges support from the Academy of Finland (Acad. Res. Fellowship 00857, and projects 129896, 118122, 135135, and 141559). The contribution by RH to this material is partially based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. SES-0848022.

PY - 2012/6

Y1 - 2012/6

N2 - We discuss a type of measurement in which a macroscopically large angular momentum (spin) is "created" nonlocally by the measurement of just a few atoms from a double Fock state. This procedure apparently leads to a blatant nonconservation of a macroscopic variable-the local angular momentum. We argue that while this gedankenexperiment provides a striking illustration of several counter-intuitive features of quantum mechanics, it does not imply a non-local violation of the conservation of angular momentum.

AB - We discuss a type of measurement in which a macroscopically large angular momentum (spin) is "created" nonlocally by the measurement of just a few atoms from a double Fock state. This procedure apparently leads to a blatant nonconservation of a macroscopic variable-the local angular momentum. We argue that while this gedankenexperiment provides a striking illustration of several counter-intuitive features of quantum mechanics, it does not imply a non-local violation of the conservation of angular momentum.

KW - Bose-Einstein condensate

KW - Nonlocality

KW - Quantum measurement

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/84860615936

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/84860615936#tab=citedBy

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DO - 10.1007/s10773-011-1056-8

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EP - 1791

JO - International Journal of Theoretical Physics

JF - International Journal of Theoretical Physics

IS - 6

ER -

Nonlocal Appearance of a Macroscopic Angular Momentum

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Keywords

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