The Space of Measurement Outcomes as a Spectral Invariant for Non-Commutative Algebras

Abstract

The recently developed technique of Bohrification associates to a (unital) C*-algebra A We propose this locale, the 'state space', as a (n intuitionistic) logic of the physical system whose observable algebra is A. We compute a site which externally captures this locale and find that externally its points may be identified with partial measurement outcomes. This prompts us to compare Scott-continuity on the poset of contexts and continuity with respect to the C*-algebra as two ways to mathematically identify measurement outcomes with the same physical interpretation. Finally, we consider the not-not-sheafification of the Kripke model on classical contexts and obtain a space of measurement outcomes which for commutative C*-algebras coincides with the spectrum. The construction is functorial on the category of C*-algebras with commutativity reflecting maps.

Locations

• Foundations of Physics - View - PDF