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arXiv:0909.4434 · Journal of Mathematical Physics

Self-adjoint Lyapunov variables, temporal ordering, and irreversible representations of Schrödinger evolution

Y. Strauss

Published Feb 1, 2010• 10 citations
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Abstract

In nonrelativistic quantum mechanics time enters as a parameter in the Schrödinger equation. However, there are various situations where the need arises to view time as a dynamical variable. In this paper we consider the dynamical role of time through the construction of a Lyapunov variable—i.e., a self-adjoint quantum observable whose expectation value varies monotonically as time increases. It is shown, in a constructive way, that a certain class of models admits a Lyapunov variable and that the existence of a Lyapunov variable implies the existence of a transformation mapping the original quantum mechanical problem to an equivalent irreversible representation. In addition, it is proven that in the irreversible representation there exists a natural time ordering observable splitting the Hilbert space at each t>0 into past and future subspaces.

DOI
10.1063/1.3276419

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In nonrelativistic quantum mechanics time enters as a parameter in the Schrödinger equation. However, there are various situations where the need arises to view time as a dynamical variable. In this paper we consider the dynamical role of time through the construction of a Lyapunov variable—i.e., a self-adjoint quantum observable whose expectation value varies monotonically as time increases. It is shown, in a constructive way, that a certain class of models admits a Lyapunov variable and that the existence of a Lyapunov variable implies the existence of a transformation mapping the original quantum mechanical problem to an equivalent irreversible representation. In addition, it is proven that in the irreversible representation there exists a natural time ordering observable splitting the Hilbert space at each t>0 into past and future subspaces.
In [Y. Strauss, Self-adjoint Lyapunov variables, temporal ordering and irreversible representations of Schrödinger evolution, J. Math. Phys. 51 (2010) 022104] a self-adjoint operator was introduced that has the property that it indicates the direction of time within the framework of standard quantum mechanics, in the sense that as a function of time its expectation value decreases monotonically for any initial state. In this paper we study some of this operatorʼs properties. In particular, we derive its spectrum and generalized eigenstates, and treat the example of the free particle.
The theory of (classical and) quantum mechanical microscopic irreversibility developed by B. Misra, I. Prigogine and M. Courbage (MPC) and various other contributors is based on the central notion of a Lyapounov variable - i.e., a dynamical variable whose value varies monotonically as time increases. Incompatibility between certain assumed properties of a Lyapounov variable and semiboundedness of the spectrum of the Hamiltonian generating the quantum dynamics led MPC to formulate their theory in Liouville space. In the present paper it is proved, in a constructive way, that a Lyapounov variable can be found within the standard Hilbert space formulation of quantum mechanics and, hence, the MPC assumptions are more restrictive than necessary for the construction of such a quantity. Moreover, as in the MPC theory, the existence of a Lyapounov variable implies the existence of a transformation mapping the original quantum mechanical problem to an equivalent irreversible representation. In addition, it is proved that in the irreversible representation there exists a natural time observable splitting the Hilbert space at each t>0 into past and future subspaces.
ABSTRACT: The main aim of this article is to present the time-evolution as the unitary and self-adjoint operators on Hilbert spaces and to describe its application in the development of quantum mechanics. The initial value problems associated with the quantum mechanical Schrodinger equation, ( ) = ( ) in the Hilbert space is solved by the use of timeevolution. The importance of time-evolution is also seen as the operation of turning machine in quantum mechanics, which is regarded as the time-evolution of the machine control state. Time-evolution of a quantum mechanical system is observed to be unitary and self-adjoint operators of Hilbert space, since it corresponds to an observable, specifically energy position and momentum. It was observed that time-evolution of a quantum mechanical system is generated by a self-adjoint operator, called Hamiltonian, V K H ˆ ˆ ˆ   , expressed by the Schrodinger equation, above.
Given a Hamiltonian HHH on a Hilbert space H\mathcal HH it is shown that, under the assumption that σ(H)=σac(H)=R+σ(H)=σ_{ac}(H)=R^+σ(H)=σac​(H)=R+, there exist unique positive operators TFT_FTF​ and TBT_BTB​ registering the Schrödinger time evolution generated by HHH in the forward (future) direction and backward (past) direction respectively. These operators may be considered as time observables for the quantum evolution. Moreover, it is shown that the same operators may serve as time observables in the construction of quantum stochastic differential equations and quantum stochastic processes in the framework of the Hudson-Parthasarathy quantum stochastic calculus. The basic mechanism enabling for the definition of the time observables originates from the recently developed semigroup decomposition formalism used in the description of the time evolution of resonances in quantum mechanical scattering problems.
Abstract The problem of time in quantum mechanics (QM) concerns the fact that in the Schrödinger equation time is a parameter, not an operator. Pauli's objection to a time–energy uncertainty relation analogue to the position–momentum one, conjectured by Heisenberg early on, seemed to exclude the existence of such an operator. However Dirac's formulation of an electron's relativistic QM does allow the introduction of a dynamical time operator that is self-adjoint. Consequently, it can be considered as the generator of a unitary transformation of the system, as well as an additional system observable subject to uncertainty. In the present paper these aspects are examined within the standard framework of relativistic QM.
The problem of construction a quantum mechanical evolution for the Schrodinger equation with a degenerate Hamiltonian which is a symmetric operator that does not have self-adjoint extensions is considered. Self-adjoint regularization of the Hamiltonian does not lead to a preserving probability limiting evolution for vectors from the Hilbert space but it is used to construct a limiting evolution of states on a C*-algebra of compact operators and on an abelian subalgebra of operators in the Hilbert space. The limiting evolution of the states on the abelian algebra can be presented by the Kraus decomposition with two terms. Both of this terms are corresponded to the unitary and shift components of Wold's decomposition of isometric semigroup generated by the degenerate Hamiltonian. Properties of the limiting evolution of the states on the C*-algebras are investigated and it is shown that pure states could evolve into mixed states.