# Why Is the Universe Not Frozen by the Quantum Zeno Effect?

## TL;DR

This paper explains why the universe is not frozen by the Quantum Zeno Effect using a discrete model and analytic criteria.

## Contribution

The paper introduces a universal model and analytic criterion to determine when the Zeno effect causes freezing.

## Key findings

- The free evolution of a system typically overcomes decoherence in generic cases.
- The model shows good agreement with a continuous model in low coupling regimes.

## Abstract

We built a discrete model that simulates the ubiquitous competition between the free internal evolution of a two-level system and the decoherence induced by the interaction with its surrounding environment. It is aimed at being as universal as possible, so that no specific Hamiltonian is assumed. This leads to an analytic criterion, depending on the level of short time decoherence, allowing one to determine whether the system will freeze due to the Zeno effect. We checked this criterion on several classes of functions which correspond to different physical situations. In the most generic case, the free evolution wins over decoherence, thereby explaining why the universe is indeed not frozen. We finally make a quantitative comparison with the continuous model of Presilla, Onofrio and Tambini, based on a Lindblad’s master equation, a find good agreement at least in the low coupling regime.