Emergence of classical trajectories in quantum systems: the cloud chamber problem in the analysis of Mott (1929)

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Archive for History of Exact Sciences 67 (2):215-234 (2013)
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Abstract

We analyze the paper “The wave mechanics of \documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$\alpha $$\end{document}-ray tracks” Mott (Proc R Soc Lond A 126:79–84, 1929), published in 1929 by N. F. Mott. In particular, we discuss the theoretical context in which the paper appeared and give a detailed account of the approach used by the author and the main result attained. Moreover, we comment on the relevance of the work not only as far as foundations of Quantum Mechanics are concerned but also as the earliest pioneering contribution in decoherence theory.

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10.1007/s00407-012-0111-z

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References found in this work

The Physical Principles of the Quantum Theory: Transl. Into Engl. By Carl Eckart and Frank C. Hoyt.Werner Heisenberg - 1930 - Chicago: Ill., The University of Chicago Press. Edited by Carl Eckart & Frank Clark Hoyt.
Zur Quantenmechanik der Stoßvorgänge.Max Born - 1926 - Zeitschrift für Physik 37 (12):863-867.
Quantum Mechanics. Historical Contingency and the Copenhagen Hegemony.James T. Cushing - 1996 - Journal for General Philosophy of Science / Zeitschrift für Allgemeine Wissenschaftstheorie 27 (2):353-358.
Quantum Mechanics: Historical Contingency and the Copenhagen Hegemony.James T. Cushing - 1998 - British Journal for the Philosophy of Science 49 (2):317-328.

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