2007/08/29 by M. Švec, Miloslav Svec, Svec, Miloslav
Physics and Astronomy · #Dark Matter and Cosmic Phenomena #FOS: Physical sciences #General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology (gr-qc) #High Energy Physics - Phenomenology (hep-ph) #Neutrino Physics Research #Particle physics theoretical and experimental studies #gr-qc #hep-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.0708.4002
44 pages, 4 figures, 3 tables, references added
openalex publication_date 2007/08/29 · arxiv created 2007/09/18 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2024/04/11 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
In 1982 Hawking suggested that quantum fluctuations of space-time metric will induce a non-unitary evolution from pure initial states to mixed final states in particle interactions at any energy. This hypothesis can be tested using existing CERN data on pi(-) p -> pi(-)pi(+) n on polarized target at 17.2 GeV/c. The purity of the final state is controlled by the purity of recoil nucleon polarization. We develop a spin formalism to calculate expressions for recoil nucleon polarization for two specific pure initial states. Imposing conditions of purity on the recoil nuclon polarization we obtain conditions on the amplitudes which are violated by model independent amplitude analysis of CERN data at large t. We conclude that pure states can evolve into mixed states in pi(-) p -> pi(-)pi(+) n. In quantum theory such non-unitary evolution occurs in open quantum systems interacting with an environment. We present evidence to validate the view of the pion creation process as an open quantum system interacting with a quantum environment. The observed process is time-irreversible and violates CPT symmetry.