A Representation of Quantum Measurement in Nonassociative Algebras

TL;DR

This paper explores nonassociative algebraic structures as models for quantum measurement, aiming to find examples beyond Jordan operator algebras, and discusses their properties and implications for quantum theory.

Contribution

It investigates nonassociative, commutative algebra structures as potential models for quantum measurement, extending the framework beyond Jordan algebras and analyzing their properties.

Findings

No explicit nonassociative example found yet.

Identified key differences from Jordan operator algebras.

Negative results suggest such examples may not exist.

Abstract

Starting from an abstract setting for the Lueders - von Neumann quantum measurement process and its interpretation as a probability conditionalization rule in a non-Boolean event structure, the author derived a certain generalization of operator algebras in a preceding paper. This is an order-unit space with some specific properties. It becomes a Jordan operator algebra under a certain set of additional conditions, but does not own a multiplication operation in the most general case. A major objective of the present paper is the search for such examples of the structure mentioned above that do not stem from Jordan operator algebras; first natural candidates are matrix algebras over the octonions and other nonassociative rings. Therefore, the case when a nonassociative commutative multiplication exists is studied without assuming that it satisfies the Jordan condition. The characteristics of the resulting algebra are analyzed. This includes the uniqueness of the spectral resolution as well as a criterion for its existence, subalgebras that are Jordan algebras, associative subalgebras, and more different levels of compatibility than occurring in standard quantum mechanics. However, the paper cannot provide the desired example, but contribute to the search by the identification of some typical differences between the potential examples and the Jordan operator algebras and by negative results concerning some first natural candidates. The possibility that no such example exists cannot be ruled out. However, this would result in an unexpected new characterization of Jordan operator algebras, which would have a significant impact on quantum axiomatics since some customary axioms (e.g., powerassociativity or the sum postulate for observables) might turn out to be redundant then.