Abstract
Several theoretical publications on the Dirac equation published during the last decades have shown that, an interpretation is possible, which ascribes the origin of electron spin and magnetic moment to an autonomous circular motion of the point-like charged particle around a fixed centre. In more recent publications an extension of the original so called “Zitterbewegung Interpretation” of quantum mechanics was suggested, in which the spin results from an average of instantaneous spin vectors over a Zitterbewegung period. We argue that, the corresponding autonomous motion of the electron should, if it is real, determine non-relativistic spin measurements. Such a direct connection with the established formal quantum mechanical description of spin measurements, into which spin is introduced as a “non-classical” quantity has, to our knowledge, not been reported. In the present work we show that, under certain “model assumptions” concerning the proposed autonomous motion, results of spin measurements, including measurements of angular correlations in singlet systems, can indeed be correctly described using classical probabilities. The success of the model is evidence for the “reality” of the assumed autonomous motion. The resulting model violates the Bell—inequalities to the same extent as quantum mechanics.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Hestenes, D.: Spin and uncertainty in the interpretation of quantum mechanics. Am J Phys 47, 399–415 (1979)
Hestenes, D.: The zitterbewegung interpretation of quantum mechanics. Found Phys 20, 1213–1232 (1990)
Hestenes, D.: Mysteries and insights of dirac theory. Annales de la Fondation Louis de Broglie 28, 390–408 (2003)
Recami, E., Salesi, G.: kinematics and hydrodynamics of spinning particles. Phys Rev A 57, 98–105 (1998)
Faraggi, A.E., Matone, M.: The equivalence principle of quantum mechanics. Int J Mod Phys A 15(13), 1869–2017 (2000)
Barut, A.O., Sanghi, N.: Classical model of the dirac electron. Phys Rev Lett 52, 2009–2012 (1984)
Schroedinger, E.: Sitzungber. Preuss Akad Wiss Phys-Math Kl 24, 418 (1930)
Boughn, S., Reginatto, M.: \({\mathbf{g}}\) Pedestrian approach to the measurement problem in quantum mechanics. Eur Phys J H 38, 443–470 (2013)
Vaz Jr, J.: The Barut and Sanghi model, and some generalizations. Phys Lett B344(1–4), 149–157 (1995)
Pavsic, M., Recami, E., Waldyr, A., Rodrigues Jr, G., Maccarrone, D., Raciti, F., Salesi, G.: Spin and electron structure. Phys Lett B 318, 481–488 (1993)
Bell, J.S.: On the Einstein-Podolski-Rosen paradox. Physics 1, 195–200 (1964)
Shimony A.: Search For A Naturalistic World View, Vol. II, Cambridge University Press (1993)
Einstein, A., Podolski, B., Rosen, N.: Can quantum mechanical description of physical reality be considered correct? Phys Rev 47, 777–780 (1935)
Clauser, J.F., Horne, M.A., Shimony, A., Holt, R.A.: Proposed experiment to test local hidden-variable theories. Phys Rev Lett 23, 880 (1969)
Kochen, S., Specker, E.P.: The problem of hidden variables in quantum mechanics. J Math Mech 17, 59–87 (1967)
Castro, C.: There is no Einstein-Podolski-Rosen paradox in Clifford-spaces. Adv Stud Theor Phys 1(12), 603–610 (2007)
Baylis, W.E., Cabrera, R., Keselica, J.D.: Quantum/classical interface: classical geometric origin of Fermion spin. Adv Appl Clifford Alg 20, 514–545 (2010)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Retired Professor of Physics, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Niehaus, A. A Probabilistic Model of Spin and Spin Measurements. Found Phys 46, 3–13 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10701-015-9953-y
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10701-015-9953-y