Unifying several separability conditions using the covariance matrix criterion

We present a framework for deciding whether a quantum state is separable or entangled using covariance matrices of locally measurable observables. This leads to the covariance matrix criterion as a general separability criterion. We demonstrate that this criterion allows us to detect many states where the familiar criterion of the positivity of the partial transpose fails. It turns out that a large number of criteria that have been proposed to complement the positive partial transpose criterion-the computable cross norm or realignment criterion, the criterion based on local uncertainty relations, criteria derived from extensions of the realignment map, and others-are in fact a corollary of the covariance matrix criterion.