On Mathematical Structure of Effective Observables

Abstract

We decompose the Hilbert space of wave functions into two subspaces, and assign to a given observable two effective representatives that act in the model space. The first serves to determine some of the eigenvalues of the full observable, while the second serves to determine its matrix elements, in any basis in one of the subspaces, in terms of quantities pertaining to the model space. We also show that if the Hamiltonian of a physical system possesses symmetries then these symmetries continue to hold for its effective representatives of the first type. Maximum information about the system can be obtained in terms of two sets of effective representatives. The first set of representatives is complete. Other observables that do not commute with all members of the complete set have only one type of representative.