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Quantum causality and the arrows of time and thermodynamics

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arxiv 2003.09047 v2 pith:MUPDKHQ3 submitted 2020-03-19 quant-ph gr-qchep-phhep-thphysics.hist-ph

classification quant-phgr-qchep-phhep-thphysics.hist-ph
keywords directiontimearrowcausaltellscausalityconventionshowever
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In the understanding of the fundamental interactions, the origin of an arrow of time is viewed as problematic. However, quantum field theory has an arrow of causality, which tells us which time direction is the past lightcone and which is the future. This direction is tied to the conventions used in the quantization procedures. The different possible causal directions have related physics - in this sense they are covariant under time-reversal. However, only one causal direction emerges for a given set of conventions. This causal arrow tells us the direction that scattering reactions proceed. The time direction of scattering in turn tells us the time direction for which entropy increases - the so-called arrow of thermodynamics. This connection is overlooked in most discussions of the arrow of time.

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Cited by 2 Pith papers

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

  1. Conformal Cores of Quantum Black Holes in Quadratic Gravity

    hep-th 2024-11 conditional novelty 6.0 of 10

    Exact complex power-law solutions of pure quadratic gravity, named powerballs, can match a Schwarzschild black hole just outside its horizon and give a finite-action model of the quantum interior.

  2. Multidimensional arrow of time

    gr-qc 2026-01 reject novelty 4.0 of 10

    The direction of time is claimed to be fixed by the exponentially growing entropy of expanding extra dimensions, which dominates every other entropy source in the universe.

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