The Omega Effect for Neutral Mesons

TL;DR

This paper explores how space-time foam-induced decoherence affects neutral meson correlations, highlighting differences between string/brane theory models and general relativity, with potential implications for CPT symmetry and quantum entanglement.

Contribution

It introduces a model linking space-time foam to decoherence in neutral mesons, emphasizing the unique prediction of a non-zero omega parameter in string/brane theory.

Findings

Decoherence modifies meson pair correlations from EPR states.

The omega parameter characterizes the deviation, predicted to be very small or zero.

Non-zero omega is specific to string/brane models, not general relativity.

Abstract

The possible role of decoherence due to space-time foam is discussed within the context of two models, one based on string/brane theory. and the other based on properties of black hole horizons in general relativity. It is argued that the density matrix satisfies a dissipative master equation, primarily from the study of renormalization group flows in non-critical string theory.This interpretation of the zero mode of the Liouville field as time leads necessarily to the CPT operator being ill defined. One striking consequence is that the quantum mechanical correlations of pair states of neutral mesons produced in meson factories are changed from the usual EPR state. The magnitude of this departure from EPR correlations is characterised by a parameter $\omega$. The predicted value of $\omega$ is very small or zero. However it is shown explicitly that the the non-vanishing of $\omega$ is only a feature of the model based on string/brane theory.