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Quantum clocks and the temporal localisability of events in the presence of gravitating quantum systems

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arxiv 1908.10165 v2 pith:XDS7AM33 submitted 2019-08-27 quant-ph

classification quant-ph
keywords quantumeventsreferenceframeindefinitemetricwhencausal
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The standard formulation of quantum theory relies on a fixed space-time metric determining the localisation and causal order of events. In general relativity, the metric is influenced by matter, and is expected to become indefinite when matter behaves quantum mechanically. Here, we develop a framework to operationally define events and their localisation with respect to a quantum clock reference frame, also in the presence of gravitating quantum systems. We find that, when clocks interact gravitationally, the time localisability of events becomes relative, depending on the reference frame. This relativity is a signature of an indefinite metric, where events can occur in an indefinite causal order. Even if the metric is indefinite, for any event we can find a reference frame where local quantum operations take their standard unitary dilation form. This form is preserved when changing clock reference frames, yielding physics covariant with respect to quantum reference frame transformations.

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Cited by 8 Pith papers

Reviewed papers in the Pith corpus that reference this work. Sorted by Pith novelty score.

  1. Gravitational null rays: Covariant Quantization and the Dressing Time

    hep-th 2026-04 unverdicted novelty 8.0 of 10

    Gravitational null rays are quantized in a diffeomorphism-covariant way using the gravitational dressing time as quantum reference frame, producing a Virasoro crossed-product algebra of gauge-invariant observables.

  2. Relational path integral, effective actions and quantum frame covariance in gravity

    hep-th 2026-07 conditional novelty 7.0 of 10

    The gravitational path integral is reformulated with dynamical reference frames, producing gauge-invariant correlators, frame-dependent vacua, and effective actions, with sharpness of events becoming frame-relative.

  3. How many degrees of freedom describe a quantum N-particle state?

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    For closed quantum N-particle systems all 3N canonical degrees of freedom are physical; the frame degrees of freedom that relational models discard reappear as non-Heisenberg terms in generalised uncertainty relations...

  4. Quantum Reference Fields Transformations in Linearized Quantum Gravity

    gr-qc 2026-06 unverdicted novelty 7.0 of 10

    Extends quantum reference frames to quantum reference fields in linearized quantum gravity and derives unitary maps implementing relational gauge-invariant observables between quantum perspectives.

  5. Relational entanglement entropies and quantum reference frames in gauge theories

    hep-th 2025-06 accept novelty 7.0 of 10

    Quantum reference frames built from Wilson lines give lattice gauge theories gauge-invariant subsystem factorizations and a hierarchy of relational entanglement entropies.

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    hep-th 2025-10 unverdicted novelty 6.0 of 10

    Constructs a phase space for gravitational degrees of freedom on null ray segments with commuting localized observables via edge modes and dressing time, then introduces an effective classical theory with Virasoro def...

  7. On the relation between perspective-neutral, algebraic, and effective quantum reference frames

    quant-ph 2025-07 conditional novelty 6.0 of 10

    For ideal quantum reference frames with a single constraint, the perspective-neutral, algebraic, and effective semiclassical approaches describe the same physics and the same frame-switching rules.

  8. Agency under indefinite causality: operational eternalism in higher-order quantum theory

    quant-ph 2025-12 conditional novelty 5.0 of 10

    In indefinite-causal-order quantum theory, an observer is a perspective-dependent grouping of input/output data, with a new 'friendliness' criterion for causally compatible agents.

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