On free fall of quantum matter

Abstract We propose an approach that allows to systematically take into account gravity in quantum particle physics. It is based on quantum field theory and the general principle of relativity. These are used to build a model for quantum particles in curved spacetime. We compute by its means a devia...

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Main Author: Viacheslav A. Emelyanov
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SpringerOpen 2022-04-01
Series:European Physical Journal C: Particles and Fields
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-022-10269-1
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author Viacheslav A. Emelyanov
author_facet Viacheslav A. Emelyanov
author_sort Viacheslav A. Emelyanov
collection DOAJ
description Abstract We propose an approach that allows to systematically take into account gravity in quantum particle physics. It is based on quantum field theory and the general principle of relativity. These are used to build a model for quantum particles in curved spacetime. We compute by its means a deviation from a classical geodesic in the Earth’s gravitational field. This shows that free fall depends on quantum- matter properties. Specifically, we find that the free-fall universality and the wave-packet spreading are mutually exclusive phenomena. We then estimate the Eötvös parameter for a pair of atoms freely falling near the Earth’s surface, provided that the wave-packet spreading is more fundamental than the weak equivalence principle.
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spelling doaj.art-c861cc05e65f4f8b86282a4d8c8d4e3a2022-12-22T02:03:48ZengSpringerOpenEuropean Physical Journal C: Particles and Fields1434-60522022-04-0182411310.1140/epjc/s10052-022-10269-1On free fall of quantum matterViacheslav A. Emelyanov0Institute for Theoretical Physics, Karlsruhe Institute of TechnologyAbstract We propose an approach that allows to systematically take into account gravity in quantum particle physics. It is based on quantum field theory and the general principle of relativity. These are used to build a model for quantum particles in curved spacetime. We compute by its means a deviation from a classical geodesic in the Earth’s gravitational field. This shows that free fall depends on quantum- matter properties. Specifically, we find that the free-fall universality and the wave-packet spreading are mutually exclusive phenomena. We then estimate the Eötvös parameter for a pair of atoms freely falling near the Earth’s surface, provided that the wave-packet spreading is more fundamental than the weak equivalence principle.https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-022-10269-1
spellingShingle Viacheslav A. Emelyanov
On free fall of quantum matter
European Physical Journal C: Particles and Fields
title On free fall of quantum matter
title_full On free fall of quantum matter
title_fullStr On free fall of quantum matter
title_full_unstemmed On free fall of quantum matter
title_short On free fall of quantum matter
title_sort on free fall of quantum matter
url https://doi.org/10.1140/epjc/s10052-022-10269-1
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