Relative entropy via distribution of observables

Abstract

We obtain formulas for Petz–Rényi and Umegaki relative entropy from the idea of distribution of a positive self-adjoint operator. Classical results on Rényi and Kullback–Leibler divergences are applied to obtain new results and new proofs for some known results about Petz–Rényi and Umegaki relative entropy. Most important among these, is a necessary and sufficient condition for the finiteness of the Petz–Rényi [Formula: see text]-relative entropy. All of the results presented here are valid in both finite and infinite dimensions. In particular, these results are valid for states in Fock spaces and thus are applicable to continuous variable quantum information theory.