Relativistic Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen correlation and Bell's inequality

Abstract

We formulate the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen (EPR) gedankenexperiment within the framework of relativistic quantum theory to analyze a situation in which measurements are performed by moving observers. We point out that under certain conditions the perfect anti-correlation of an EPR pair of spins in the same direction is deteriorated in the moving observers' frame due to the Wigner rotation, and show that the degree of the violation of Bell's inequality prima facie decreases with increasing the velocity of the observers if the directions of the measurement are fixed. However, this does not imply a breakdown of non-local correlation since the perfect anti-correlation is maintained in appropriately chosen different directions. We must take account of this relativistic effect in utilizing in moving frames the EPR correlation and the violation of Bell's inequality for quantum communication.