Quantifying Absorption in the Transactional Interpretation

TL;DR

This paper clarifies and quantifies the role of absorption in the Transactional Interpretation of quantum mechanics, explicitly deriving the Born Rule for radiative processes and addressing previous ambiguities.

Contribution

It provides a clear, quantitative definition of absorber response and absorption within the transactional framework, and derives the Born Rule for radiative events.

Findings

Absorber response is physically well-defined in the transactional picture.

The Born Rule is explicitly derived for radiative processes.

Clarifies the physical basis of the measurement transition.

Abstract

The Transactional Interpretation offers a solution to the measurement problem by identifying specific physical conditions precipitating the non-unitary `measurement transition' of von Neumann. Specifically, the transition occurs as a result of absorber response (a process lacking in the standard approach to the theory). The purpose of this Letter is to make clear that, despite recent claims to the contrary, the concepts of `absorber' and `absorber response,' as well as the process of absorption, are physically and quantitatively well-defined in the transactional picture. In addition, the Born Rule is explicitly derived for radiative processes.