Decoherence, measurement and interpretation of quantum mechanics

TL;DR

This paper explores how decoherence and the Hamiltonian-based interpretation of quantum mechanics can be reconciled, addressing conceptual challenges and clarifying the relationship between measurement, decoherence, and the interpretation.

Contribution

It demonstrates that decoherence can be understood from a closed system perspective, resolving apparent conflicts with the modal-Hamiltonian interpretation.

Findings

Decoherence can be interpreted from a closed system perspective.

Incompatibility between MHI and EID is only apparent.

The approach addresses conceptual challenges in decoherence theory.

Abstract

According to our modal-Hamiltonian interpretation (MHI) of quantum mechanics, the Hamiltonian of the closed system defines the set of its definite-valued observables. This definition seems to be incompatible with the pointer basis selected by the environment-induced decoherence (EID) of the open system. In this paper we argue that decoherence can be understood from a closed system perspective which (i) shows that the incompatibility between MHI and EID is only apparent, and (ii) solves certain conceptual challenges that the EID program still has to face.