Quantum Mechanics Based on an Extended Least Action Principle and Information Metrics of Vacuum Fluctuations

TL;DR

This work recasts non-relativistic quantum mechanics as the outcome of an Extended Least Observability Principle, combining classical action with information-theoretic measures of vacuum fluctuations. By introducing a minimal action unit $\hbar$ and a relative-entropy-based observable-information metric $I_f$, the authors derive the uncertainty principle and the Schrödinger equation from variational principles, and identify the Bohm quantum potential as arising from $I_f$. A no-preferred-representation assumption ensures equivalence between position and momentum formulations, while generalizing $I_f$ via Rényi divergences yields a family of generalized Schrödinger equations that reduce to the standard one at $\alpha=1$. The framework also explains the locality of vacuum fluctuations and the inseparability of the Bohm potential in bipartite systems without invoking nonlocal causal mechanisms, and suggests extensions to quantum field theory. Overall, the Extended Least Action Principle provides a unified, information-centric bridge between classical dynamics and quantum behavior with potential broader applicability.

Abstract

We show that the formulations of non-relativistic quantum mechanics can be derived from an extended least action principle. The principle extends the least action principle from classical mechanics by factoring in two assumptions. First, the Planck constant defines the minimal amount of action a physical system needs to exhibit during its dynamics in order to be observable. Second, there is constant vacuum fluctuation along a classical trajectory. A novel method is introduced to define the information metrics to measure additional observability due to vacuum fluctuations, which is then converted to an additional action through the first assumption. Applying the variational principle to minimize the total actions allows us to recover the basic quantum formulations including the uncertainty relation and the Schrödinger equation in the position representation. The extended least action principle brings in new results on two fronts. At the conceptual level, we find that the information metrics for vacuum fluctuations are responsible for the origin of the Bohm quantum potential. Even though the Bohm potential for a bipartite system is inseparable, the underlying vacuum fluctuations are local. Thus, inseparability of the Bohm potential does not justify a non-local causal relation between the two subsystems. At the mathematical level, quantifying the information metrics for vacuum fluctuations using more general definitions of relative entropy results in a generalized Schrödinger equation that depends on the order of relative entropy. The extended least action principle is a new mathematical tool that can be applied to derive other quantum formalisms such as quantum scalar field theory