Hypercomplex Algebras and their application to the mathematical formulation of Quantum Theory

• Published in: arXiv.org 2014-06
• Main Authors: Hertig, Torsten, Höhmann, Jens Philip, Otte, Ralf
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Algebra; Complex numbers; Conjugates; Fourier transforms; Mathematical analysis; Matrix methods; Quantum theory; Relativism; Relativistic effects; Relativity; Rings (mathematics); Wave functions
• ISSN: 2331-8422

Quantum theory (QT), namely in terms of Schr\"odinger's 1926 wave functions in general requires complex numbers to be formulated. However, it soon turned out to even require some hypercomplex algebra. Incorporating Special Relativity leads to an equation (Dirac 1928) requiring pairwise anti-commuting coefficients, usually \(4\times 4\) matrices. A unitary ring of square matrices is an associative hypercomplex algebra by definition. Since only the algebraic properties and relations of the elements matter, we replace the matrices by biquaternions. In this paper, we first consider the basics of non-relativistic and relativistic QT. Then we introduce general hypercomplex algebras and also show how a relativistic quantum equation like Dirac's one can be formulated using biquaternions. Subsequently, some algebraic preconditions for operations within hypercomplex algebras and their subalgebras will be examined. For our purpose equations akin to Schr\"odinger's should be able to be set up and solved. Functions of complementary variables should be Fourier transforms of each other. This should hold within a purely non-real subspace which must hence be a subalgebra. Furthermore, it is an ideal denoted by \(\mathcal{J}\). It must be isomorphic to \(\mathbb{C}\), hence containing an internal identity element. The bicomplex numbers will turn out to fulfil these preconditions, and therefore, the formalism of QT can be developed within its subalgebras. We also show that bicomplex numbers encourage the definition of several different kinds of conjugates. One of these treats the elements of \(\mathcal{J}\) like the usual conjugate treats complex numbers. This defines a quantity what we call a modulus which, in contrast to the complex absolute square, remains non-real (but may be called `pseudo-real'). However, we do not conduct an explicit physical interpretation here but we leave this to future examinations.