Nonlocality of the Aharonov-Bohm Effect

TL;DR

This paper clarifies that the Aharonov-Bohm effect exhibits both instantaneous nonlocal and continuous entanglement-dependent aspects, establishing its fundamentally nonlocal nature.

Contribution

It demonstrates for the first time that the Aharonov-Bohm effect has two distinct aspects, one nonlocal and instantaneous, the other continuous and entanglement-based.

Findings

The effect has an instantaneous, nonlocal aspect.

A continuous, entanglement-dependent aspect exists.

Local gauge-invariant variables cannot explain the instantaneous aspect.

Abstract

Although the Aharonov-Bohm and related effects are familiar in solid state and high energy physics, the nonlocality of these effects has been questioned. Here we show, for the first time, that the Aharonov-Bohm effect has two very different aspects. One aspect is instantaneous and nonlocal; the other aspect, which depends on entanglement, unfolds continuously over time. While local, gauge-invariant variables may occasionally suffice for explaining the continuous aspect, we argue that they cannot explain the instantaneous aspect. Thus the Aharonov-Bohm effect is, in general, nonlocal.