4pm - 5pm
Wednesday 21 October 2020
The de Broglie-Bohm approach to quantum theory: Particles and fields
A seminar on the Bohmian interpretation of quantum mechanics given by Portsmouth University theoretical physicist and David Bohm’s old PhD student, Chris Dewdney.
Free
This event has passed
This seminar is by invitation only. A Zoom link will be sent to participants before the event.
Overview
The de Broglie-Bohm approach to quantum theory provides a picture of the quantum world in which particles follow trajectories and well-defined fields evolve in a way that accounts for all observed quantum phenomena. Observers and their measurements do not play a fundamental role. The evolution of the Schrödinger wave function in configuration space and an actual initial set of values for each coordinate is all the theory requires.
I will illustrate exactly how the theory works in a number of cases and, since Bohm’s theory for the quantum field is little discussed, focus on a simple example of the interaction of field and matter during a quantum transition. Finally, I will briefly review some of the problems of theory and outline avenues for its extension.
Biography
Chris Dewdney is a theoretical physicist specialising in de Broglie-Bohm quantum theory. He completed his PhD with Bohm and Hiley in London and subsequently worked with Jean-Pierre Vigier in Paris, before establishing his own research group at Portsmouth.
He first showed by detailed calculation exactly how de Broglie-Bohm theory accounts for all of the characteristic quantum phenomena from interference to EPR correlations. He was recently director of animations for the new documentary film about David Bohm – “Infinite Potential.”
Related information
Take a look at our Quantum Foundations Centre website to find out more about what we're researching.