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Positive elements in the algebra of the quantum moment problem
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Positive elements in the algebra of the quantum moment problem

Palle E. T Jorgensen and Robert T Powers
Probability theory and related fields, Vol.89(2), pp.131-139
06/1991
DOI: 10.1007/BF01366901

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Abstract

LetA denote the extended Weyl algebra,A0⊂A, the Weyl algebra. It is well known that every element ofA of the formA=ΣB *k B k is positive. We prove that the converse implication also holds: Every positive elementA inA has a quadratic sum factorization for some finite set of elements (B k ) inA. The corresponding result is not true for the subalgebraA0. We identify states onA0 which do not extend to states onA. It follows from a result of Powers (and Arveson) that such states onA0 cannot be completely positive. Our theorem is based on a certain regularity property for the representations which are generated by states onA, and this property is not in general shared by representations generated by states defined only on the subalgebraA0.

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