Summary
First, we prove that the conventional calculations of the time evolution of an electron wave packet outside an infinite solenoid are vitiated by a mathematical mistake. Then, we discuss briefly two very recent papers concerning the motion of particles in multiply connected regions. Finally, we show that the «microscopic» point of view —i.e. the inclusion into the quantum system of the sources of the external fields—makes evident that there is no influence at a distance of the fields on the charges.
Riassunto
Si dimostra come gli usuali calcoli dell’evoluzione temporale di un pacchetto d’onda elettronico nella regione esterna ad un solenoide infinitamente lungo siano viziati da un difetto fondamentale di carattere matematico. Dopo aver discusso brevemente due lavori recentissimi sul moto di particelle cariche in regioni molteplicemente connesse, si dimostra come dal punto di vista «microscopico» — ossia quando si includano nel sistema quantistico anche le sorgenti dei campi esterni — non vi possa essere alcuna influenza a distanza dei campi sulle cariche.
Реэюме
Сначала мы докаэываем, что обшепринятые вычисления временной зволюции злектронного волнового пакета вне бесконечного соленоида являются недействительными иэ-эа математической ощибки. Затем мы вкратце обсуждаем две недавние работы, касаюшиеся движения частиц в многосвяэных областях. В эаключение, мы покаэываем, что «микроскопическая» точка эрения - т.е. включение в квантовую систему источников внещних полей - делает очевидным, что не сушествует влияния на расстоянии полей на эаряды.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
M. Kretzschmar:Z. Phys.,185, 84 (1965);D. H. Kobe:Ann. Phys. (N. Y.),123, 381 (1979);D. M. Greenberger:Phys. Rev. D,23, 1460 (1981);C. C. Bernido andA. Inomata:J. Math. Phys. (N. Y.),22, 715 (1981), and other papers.
G. A. Goldin, R. Menikoff andD. H. Sharp:Representations of a local current algebra in nonsimply connected space and the Aharonov-Bohm effect, preprint, to be published inJ. Math. Phys. (N. Y.);M. Peshkin:The Aharonov-Bohm effect: why it cannot be eliminated from quantum mechanics, preprint, to be published inPhys. Rep.
Cf.,e.g.,T. T. Wu andC. N. Yang:Phys. Rev. D,12, 3843, 3845 (1975);W. Drechsler andM. E. Mayer:Fiber bundle techniques in gauge theories, inLecture Notes in Physics (Berlin, 1977);J. S. Dowker:Selected topics in topology and quantum field theory, inLectures Delivered January–May 1979 at Center for Relativity, The University of Texas at Austin;T. Eguchi, P. B. Gilkey andA. J. Hanson:Phys. Rep.,66, 213 (1980).
E. Merzbacher:Am. J. Phys.,30, 237 (1962).
Cf.,e.g.,G. P. Tolstov:Fourier Series, Chapt.5 (Englewood Cliffs, N. J., 1962).
As is well known (cf.,e.g.,M. Reed andB. Simon:Functional Analysis, two volumes (New York, N. Y., 1972), p. 257 and following of Vol.1, p. 141 of Vol.2), the derivative is represented by a symmetric operatorT having an infinite number of nonequivalent self-adjoint extensions, which are uniquely characterized by their domains. In our case, an extension is for α=α′, we have another extensionT α′: As a consequence, the Hamiltonian characterized by (1.3)–(1.4) does not have, as an element of its domain, the state exp [i(m + α)ϕ] (0 ⩽ ϕ<2π), when α ≠ 0.
P. Bocchieri andA. Loinger:Nuovo Cimento A,47, 475 (1978).
M. Fierz:Helv. Phys. Acta,17, 27 (1944);P. Bocchieri andA. Loinger:Nuovo Cimento A,59, 121 (1980).
P. Bocchieri, A. Loinger andG. Siragusa:Nuovo Cimento A,56, 55 (1980), cf. sect.7.
U. Klein:Acta Phys. Austriaca,52, 269 (1980). Two further notes on the conventional conception of the AB effect are the following:U. Klein:Phys. Rev. D,23, 1463 (1981);H. J. Lipkin:Phys. Rev. D,23, 1466 (1981).
W. Pauli:Handbuch der Physik, Bd.24/1 (Berlin, 19332), Ziff.7/B, p. 261. See also our papers quoted in (8,9).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bocchieri, P., Loinger, A. Charges in multiply connected spaces. Nuov Cim A 66, 164–172 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02728026
Received:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02728026