Quantum probabilities for time-extended measurements

Abstract

We study the probability assignment for the outcomes of time-extended measurements. We construct the class-operator that incorporates the information about a generic time-smeared quantity. These class-operators are employed for the construction of Positive-Operator-Valued-Measures for the time-averaged quantities. The scheme highlights the distinction between velocity and momentum in quantum theory. Propositions about velocity and momentum are represented by different class-operators, hence they define different probability measures. We provide some examples, we study the classical limit and we construct probabilities for generalized time-extended phase space variables.