Generic emergence of classical features in quantum Darwinism

Area of Science:

• Quantum physics
• Foundations of quantum mechanics
• Quantum information theory

Background:

• Quantum Darwinism proposes that objective classical reality emerges from redundant proliferation of quantum information to the environment.
• The conditions under which this mechanism operates remain incompletely understood.
• Existing frameworks often rely on a strict system-environment dichotomy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the general conditions for the emergence of classical features via quantum Darwinism.
• To analyze the role of indirect information acquisition through an environment.
• To provide an operational characterization of quantum discord.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of general quantum dynamics without strict system-environment splitting.
• Modeling indirect information acquisition by observers through environmental interactions.
• Derivation of operational measures for quantum correlations.

Main Results:

• The emergence of classical features, as described by quantum Darwinism, is shown to be a general property of any quantum dynamics.
• Observers accessing information indirectly via the environment effectively access classical information about a single measurement.
• A complete operational characterization of quantum discord is established through local correlation redistribution.

Conclusions:

• Quantum Darwinism is a universal mechanism for the emergence of objectivity in quantum systems.
• The framework accommodates flexible definitions of systems and environments, allowing any system to act as an environment.
• Quantum discord can be understood and quantified by local operations on correlations.