Thermal time as an unsharp observable

Journal Article (2024)
Author(s)

Jan van Neerven (TU Delft - Analysis)

Pierre Portal (Australian National University)

DOI related publication
https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0165171 Final published version
More Info
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Publication Year
2024
Language
English
Issue number
3
Volume number
65
Article number
032105
Downloads counter
221
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Abstract

We show that the Connes-Rovelli thermal time associated with the quantum harmonic oscillator can be described as an (unsharp) observable, that is, as a positive operator valued measure. We furthermore present extensions of this result to the free massless relativistic particle in one dimension and to a hypothetical physical system whose equilibrium state is given by the noncommutative integral.