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SUMMARY:Quantum Theory needs complex numbers
DTSTART:20211105T101500
DTEND:20211105T111500
DTSTAMP:20260406T184714Z
UID:6535fe2a69c55fc952af412b096b74c2cc827675845e585034dff3e7
CATEGORIES:Conferences - Seminars
DESCRIPTION:Marc-Olivier Renou  (ICFO - Castelldefels Barcelona)\n\n \nW
 hile complex numbers are essential in mathematics\, they are not needed to
  describe physical experiments\, expressed in terms of probabilities\, hen
 ce real numbers. Physics however aims to explain\, rather than describe\, 
 experiments through theories. While most theories of physics are based on 
 real numbers\, quantum theory was the first to be formulated in terms of o
 perators acting on complex Hilbert spaces.  This has puzzled countless ph
 ysicists\, including the fathers of the theory\, for whom a real version o
 f quantum theory\, in terms of real operators\, seemed much more natural. 
 Are complex numbers really needed in the quantum formalism? Here\, we show
  this to be case by proving that real and complex quantum theory make diff
 erent predictions in network scenarios comprising independent states and m
 easurements.  This allows us to devise a Bell-like experiment whose succe
 ssful realization would disprove real quantum theory\, in the same way as 
 standard Bell experiments disproved local physics.  See arxiv.org/abs/210
 1.10873
LOCATION:BC 410 https://plan.epfl.ch/?room==BC%20410
STATUS:CONFIRMED
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