The concept of time-coarsened density matrix for open systems has frequently featured in equilibrium and non-equilibrium statistical mechanics, without being probed as to the detailed consequences of the time averaging procedure. In this work we introduce and prove the need for a selective and non-uniform time-sampling, whose form depends on the properties of the bath. It is also applicable when an open microscopic sub-system is coupled to another finite system. By use of a time-periodic minimal coupling model between these two (...) systems, we present detailed quantitative consequences of time coarsening, which include initial state independence of equilibration, deviations from long term averages, their environment size dependence and the approach to classicality, as measured by a Leggett–Garg type inequality. An interacting multiple qubit model affords comparison between the time integrating procedure and the more conventional environment tracing method. (shrink)

In this paper we suggest the use of ontological structures as an appropriate tool for describing the foundations of reality. Every vertex of this structure, representing a fundamental entity in the universe, is completely and solely characterized by its connections to the other vertices in the structure. The edges of this structure are binary compounds of the FEs, and are identified with the elementary particles. The combinations including more than 2 connected vertices correspond to composite particles. The principles according to (...) which the OSs are designed Philosophy of the natural sciences, VHP Tempsky, Vienna, 1989; Shoshani in Phys Essays 4:566–576, 1991; Shoshani in Phys Essays 11:512–520, 1998) are discussed in Sect. 2, and the simplest OSs having the minimal number of vertices, and thus represent the simplest universe, are given in Sect. 3. This section also describes an OS that includes an infinite number of vertices that might represent the space–time points. This structure imparts a new meaning to space–time, detached from their intuitive grasp :285–292, 2010). Section 4 is devoted to show how to ascribe intrinsic properties to the fundamental entities by using their inter-connections in the OS. The predictive power and explanatory capacity of this theory, named Apriorics :126–130, 2014) are briefly described in Sects. 3 and 4. (shrink)

It is stated in many text books that the any metric appearing in general relativity should be locally Lorentzian i.e. of the type η μ ν =diag (1,−1,−1,−1) this is usually presented as an independent axiom of the theory, which can not be deduced from other assumptions. The meaning of this assertion is that a specific coordinate (the temporal coordinate) is given a unique significance with respect to the other spatial coordinates. In this work it is shown that the above (...) assertion is a consequence of requirement that the metric of empty space should be linearly stable and need not be assumed. (shrink)