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Limitation to Quantum Measurements of Space‐Time Distances a
Author(s) -
NG Y. JACK,
DAM H.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
annals of the new york academy of sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.712
H-Index - 248
eISSN - 1749-6632
pISSN - 0077-8923
DOI - 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1995.tb38998.x
Subject(s) - physics , quantum decoherence , uncertainty principle , planck length , quantum mechanics , general relativity , quantum , space (punctuation) , work (physics) , classical mechanics , quantum gravity , statistical physics , planck scale , computer science , operating system
Inspired by the work of Wheeler among others, we have studied the problem ofquantum measurements of space-time distances by applying the general principlesof quantum mechanics as well as those of general relativity. Contrary to thefolklore, the minimum error in the measurement of a length is shown to beproportional to the one-third power of the length itself. This uncertainty inspace-time measurements implies an uncertainty of the space-time metric andyields quantum decoherence for particles heavier than the Planck mass. There isalso a corresponding minimum error in energy-momentum measurements.Comment: 9pages, nofigures, postscript file, IASSNS-94/4