Measurement of noncanonical variables

  • Y. Aharonov*
  • , John L. Safko
  • *Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

27 Scopus citations

Abstract

We consider the problems of measurements of noncanonical variables such as velocity, kinetic energy, and the electric field in the quantum domain. We show that there is an essential difference between such measurements and the measurements of canonical variables, i.e., noncanonical observables must be changed, in an uncontrollable way, while being measured. We then construct a formal theory for the measurement of noncanonical variables. We apply this theory to measurements of velocity, kinetic energy, and the electric field and show how it clarifies and simplifies previous discussions of these measurements.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)279-294
Number of pages16
JournalAnnals of Physics
Volume91
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 1975
Externally publishedYes

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