Geometric structure of the relativistic quantum phase space

TL;DR

This paper investigates the geometric structure of relativistic quantum phase space, revealing invariant properties and limits that connect quantum fluctuations, spacetime geometry, and cosmology.

Contribution

It constructs a scalar invariant in relativistic quantum phase space and explores its implications for quantum gravity and cosmology.

Findings

Invariant encodes two fundamental length scales.

Asymptotic regimes lead to curved spacetime and momentum space geometries.

Results suggest a link between quantum phase space, spacetime structure, and neutrino physics.

Abstract

The relativistic quantum phase space (QPS) formalism extends classical phase space by incorporating both mean values and variance-covariance matrices of quantum states, thereby providing a unified setting where the uncertainty principle and relativistic covariance coexist. In this work we explore the basic geometric structure of the QPS for the signature \((1,4)\). We construct a scalar invariant built from the mean values and the inverse variance-covariance matrix, and prove its invariance under linear canonical transformations. For quantum states that saturate the uncertainty relations, and define the QPS itself, the invariant takes a value that encodes two fundamental length scales: a large scale characterising maximal coordinate uncertainties and a small scale characterising minimal coordinate uncertainties. From this invariance we derive a geometric equation that unifies the mean values and the quantum fluctuations. Analysing two asymptotic regimes reveals two physically significant limits: one leads to a curved spacetime geometry, consistent with current cosmological observations; the other yields a curved momenta space structure. These limits suggest a direct connection between quantum phase space geometry, cosmology, and quantum gravity, offering new perspectives on the origin of the quantum structure of spacetime. The results also resonate with the principle of Born reciprocity, which posits a fundamental duality between coordinates and momenta, and align with recent works on the relation between QPS and neutrino physics.