Decoherent Histories for Spacetime Domains

Abstract

The decoherent histories approach is a natural medium in which to address problems in quantum theory which involve time in a non-trivial way. This article reviews the various attempts and difficulties involved in using the decoherent histories approach to calculate the probability for crossing the surface $x=0$ during a finite interval of time. The commonly encountered difficulties in assigning crossing times arise here as difficulties in satisfying the consistency (no-interference) condition. This can be overcome by introducing an environment to produce decoherence, and probabilities exhibiting the expected classical limit are obtained. The probabilities are, however, dependent to some degree on the decohering environment. The results are compared with a recently proposed irreversible detector model. A third method is introduced, involving continuous quantum measurement theory. Some closely related work on the interpretation of the wave function in quantum cosmology is described.