Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

arXiv:1806.04997 · International Journal of Modern Physics A

Dynamics of algebras in quantum unstable systems

Marcelo Losada, Sebastián Fortín, Manuel Gadella, Federico Holik

Published Jun 21, 2018• 11 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

We introduce a dynamical evolution operator for dealing with unstable physical process, such as scattering resonances, photon emission, decoherence and particle decay. With that aim, we use the formalism of rigged Hilbert space and represent the time evolution of quantum observables in the Heisenberg picture, in such a way that time evolution is nonunitary. This allows to describe observables that are initially noncommutative, but become commutative after time evolution. In other words, a non-abelian algebra of relevant observables becomes abelian when times goes to infinity. We finally present some relevant examples.

DOI
10.1142/s0217751x18501099

Related papers

Mathematical Models for Unstable Quantum Systems and Gamow States

Manuel Gadella, Sebastián Fortín, Juan Pablo Jorge +1 more

We review some results in the theory of non-relativistic quantum unstable systems. We account for the most important definitions of quantum resonances that we identify with unstable quantum systems. Then, we recall the properties and construction of Gamow states as vectors in some extensions of Hilbert spaces, called Rigged Hilbert Spaces. Gamow states account for the purely exponential decaying part of a resonance; the experimental exponential decay for long periods of time physically characterizes a resonance. We briefly discuss one of the most usual models for resonances: the Friedrichs model. Using an algebraic formalism for states and observables, we show that Gamow states cannot be pure states or mixtures from a standard view point. We discuss some additional properties of Gamow states, such as the possibility of obtaining mean values of certain observables on Gamow states. A modification of the time evolution law for the linear space spanned by Gamow shows that some non-commuting observables on this space become commuting for large values of time. We apply Gamow states for a possible explanation of the Loschmidt echo.

Entropy•Jun 8, 2022•4 citations

Irreversible evolution of a wave packet in the rigged-Hilbert-space quantum mechanics

Giulia Marcucci, Claudio Conti

It is well known that a state with complex energy cannot be the eigenstate of a self-adjoint operator, such as the Hamiltonian. Resonances, i.e., states with exponentially decaying observables, are not vectors belonging to the conventional Hilbert space. One can describe these resonances in an unusual mathematical formalism based on the so-called rigged Hilbert space (RHS). In the RHS, the states with complex energy are denoted as Gamow vectors (GVs), and they model decay processes. We study the GVs of the reversed harmonic oscillator, and we analytically and numerically investigate the unstable evolution of wave packets. We introduce the background function to study initial data that are not composed only by a summation of GVs, and we analyze different wave packets belonging to specific function spaces. Our work furnishes support for the idea that irreversible wave propagation can be investigated using rigged-Hilbert-space quantum mechanics and provides insight for the experimental investigation of irreversible dynamics.

arXiv:1607.08109•Physical Review A•Nov 29, 2016•21 citations

Transition representations of quantum evolution with application to scattering resonances

Y. Strauss

A Lyapunov operator is a self-adjoint quantum observable whose expectation value varies monotonically as time increases and may serve as a marker for the flow of time in a quantum system. In this paper it is shown that the existence of a certain type of Lyapunov operator leads to representations of the quantum dynamics, termed transition representations, in which an evolving quantum state ψ(t) is decomposed into a sum ψ(t) = ψb(t) + ψf(t) of a backward asymptotic component and a forward asymptotic component such that the evolution process is represented as a transition from ψb(t) to ψf(t). When applied to the evolution of scattering resonances, such transition representations separate the process of decay of a scattering resonance from the evolution of outgoing waves corresponding to the probability “released” by the resonance and carried away to spatial infinity. This separation property clearly exhibits the spatial probability distribution profile of a resonance. Moreover, it leads to the definition of exact resonance states as elements of the physical Hilbert space corresponding to the scattering problem. These resonance states evolve naturally according to a semigroup law of evolution.

Journal of Mathematical Physics•Mar 1, 2011•5 citations

Time Asymmetric Quantum Mechanics

Arno Böhm

The meaning of time asymmetry in quantum physics is discussed.On the basis of a mathematical theorem, the Stone-von Neumann theorem, the solutions of the dynamical equations, the Schrödinger equation (1) for states or the Heisenberg equation (6a) for observables are given by a unitary group.Dirac kets require the concept of a RHS (rigged Hilbert space) of Schwartz functions; for this kind of RHS a mathematical theorem also leads to time symmetric group evolution.Scattering theory suggests to distinguish mathematically between states (defined by a preparation apparatus) and observables (defined by a registration apparatus (detector)).If one requires that scattering resonances of width Γ and exponentially decaying states of lifetime τ = Γ should be the same physical entities (for which there is sufficient evidence) one is led to a pair of RHS's of Hardy functions and connected with it, to a semigroup time evolution t 0 ≤ t < ∞, with the puzzling result that there is a quantum mechanical beginning of time, just like the big bang time for the universe, when it was a quantum system.The decay of quasi-stable particles is used to illustrate this quantum mechanical time asymmetry.From the analysis of these processes, we show that the properties of rigged Hilbert spaces of Hardy functions are suitable for a formulation of time asymmetry in quantum mechanics.

arXiv:1109.0598•Symmetry Integrability and Geometry Methods and Applications•Sep 3, 2011•12 citations

Noncommutative Coordinate Picture of the Quantum Phase Space

Otto C. W. Kong, Wei-Yin Liu

We illustrate an isomorphic representation of the observable algebra for quantum mechanics in terms of the functions on the projective Hilbert space, and its Hilbert space analog, with a noncommutative product in terms of explicit coordinates and discuss the physical and dynamical picture. The isomorphism is then used as a base for the translation of the differential symplectic geometry of the infinite dimensional manifolds onto the observable algebra as a noncommutative geometry. Hence, we obtain the latter from the physical theory itself. We have essentially an extended formalism of the Schrodinger versus Heisenberg picture which we describe mathematically as like a coordinate map from the phase space, for which we have presented argument to be seen as the quantum model of the physical space, to the noncommutative geometry coordinated by the six position and momentum operators. The observable algebra is taken essentially as an algebra of formal functions on the latter operators. The work formulates the intuitive idea that the noncommutative geometry can be seen as an alternative, noncommutative coordinate, picture of familiar quantum phase space, at least so long as the symplectic geometry is concerned.

arXiv:1903.11962•Mar 27, 2019•1 citation

On using physical properties to make mathematical choices in quantum mechanical scattering

Joshua Russell Hebert

Traditional Quantum Scattering theory is built upon a Hilbert space formalism. The nature of the Hilbert space has led to a number of ideas about the nature of scattering systems, chief among them being the understanding that the decay of unstable quan- tum systems cannot be purely exponential and that there can only be an approximate relationship between the width Γ of a scattering resonance and the lifetime τ of the resonant state whose formation gives rise to it. That such physical conclusions are de- rived from purely mathematical properties of the underlying topological vector space inform the notion that, in choosing a particular space, one is choosing the mathemat- ical representation of the physical universe for the system. With this notion in mind, purely physical characteristics of quantum systems are used to answer the question: “What is the proper mathematical space for quantum mechanical calculations?” In the particular case of quantum scattering, it is shown that this approach casts the choice of the Hilbert space into doubt and motivates instead the use of rigged Hilbert spaces employing Hardy spaces; in these Hardy rigged Hilbert spaces, exponential decay is permissible and the time evolution of decaying states is governed by semigroups. The original theories concerning deviation from exponential decay in the Hilbert space are revisited to reveal how their conclusions flow from a mathematical property whose physical interpretation is problematic. Finally, an application of a Hardy rigged Hilbert space formalism is presented: Time Asymmetric Quantum Mechanics, as developed by A. Bohm, M. Gadella, and S. Wickramasekara.

•Jan 1, 2015•0 citations
We introduce a dynamical evolution operator for dealing with unstable physical process, such as scattering resonances, photon emission, decoherence and particle decay. With that aim, we use the formalism of rigged Hilbert space and represent the time evolution of quantum observables in the Heisenberg picture, in such a way that time evolution is nonunitary. This allows to describe observables that are initially noncommutative, but become commutative after time evolution. In other words, a non-abelian algebra of relevant observables becomes abelian when times goes to infinity. We finally present some relevant examples.
We review some results in the theory of non-relativistic quantum unstable systems. We account for the most important definitions of quantum resonances that we identify with unstable quantum systems. Then, we recall the properties and construction of Gamow states as vectors in some extensions of Hilbert spaces, called Rigged Hilbert Spaces. Gamow states account for the purely exponential decaying part of a resonance; the experimental exponential decay for long periods of time physically characterizes a resonance. We briefly discuss one of the most usual models for resonances: the Friedrichs model. Using an algebraic formalism for states and observables, we show that Gamow states cannot be pure states or mixtures from a standard view point. We discuss some additional properties of Gamow states, such as the possibility of obtaining mean values of certain observables on Gamow states. A modification of the time evolution law for the linear space spanned by Gamow shows that some non-commuting observables on this space become commuting for large values of time. We apply Gamow states for a possible explanation of the Loschmidt echo.
It is well known that a state with complex energy cannot be the eigenstate of a self-adjoint operator, such as the Hamiltonian. Resonances, i.e., states with exponentially decaying observables, are not vectors belonging to the conventional Hilbert space. One can describe these resonances in an unusual mathematical formalism based on the so-called rigged Hilbert space (RHS). In the RHS, the states with complex energy are denoted as Gamow vectors (GVs), and they model decay processes. We study the GVs of the reversed harmonic oscillator, and we analytically and numerically investigate the unstable evolution of wave packets. We introduce the background function to study initial data that are not composed only by a summation of GVs, and we analyze different wave packets belonging to specific function spaces. Our work furnishes support for the idea that irreversible wave propagation can be investigated using rigged-Hilbert-space quantum mechanics and provides insight for the experimental investigation of irreversible dynamics.
A Lyapunov operator is a self-adjoint quantum observable whose expectation value varies monotonically as time increases and may serve as a marker for the flow of time in a quantum system. In this paper it is shown that the existence of a certain type of Lyapunov operator leads to representations of the quantum dynamics, termed transition representations, in which an evolving quantum state ψ(t) is decomposed into a sum ψ(t) = ψb(t) + ψf(t) of a backward asymptotic component and a forward asymptotic component such that the evolution process is represented as a transition from ψb(t) to ψf(t). When applied to the evolution of scattering resonances, such transition representations separate the process of decay of a scattering resonance from the evolution of outgoing waves corresponding to the probability “released” by the resonance and carried away to spatial infinity. This separation property clearly exhibits the spatial probability distribution profile of a resonance. Moreover, it leads to the definition of exact resonance states as elements of the physical Hilbert space corresponding to the scattering problem. These resonance states evolve naturally according to a semigroup law of evolution.
The meaning of time asymmetry in quantum physics is discussed.On the basis of a mathematical theorem, the Stone-von Neumann theorem, the solutions of the dynamical equations, the Schrödinger equation (1) for states or the Heisenberg equation (6a) for observables are given by a unitary group.Dirac kets require the concept of a RHS (rigged Hilbert space) of Schwartz functions; for this kind of RHS a mathematical theorem also leads to time symmetric group evolution.Scattering theory suggests to distinguish mathematically between states (defined by a preparation apparatus) and observables (defined by a registration apparatus (detector)).If one requires that scattering resonances of width Γ and exponentially decaying states of lifetime τ = Γ should be the same physical entities (for which there is sufficient evidence) one is led to a pair of RHS's of Hardy functions and connected with it, to a semigroup time evolution t 0 ≤ t < ∞, with the puzzling result that there is a quantum mechanical beginning of time, just like the big bang time for the universe, when it was a quantum system.The decay of quasi-stable particles is used to illustrate this quantum mechanical time asymmetry.From the analysis of these processes, we show that the properties of rigged Hilbert spaces of Hardy functions are suitable for a formulation of time asymmetry in quantum mechanics.
We illustrate an isomorphic representation of the observable algebra for quantum mechanics in terms of the functions on the projective Hilbert space, and its Hilbert space analog, with a noncommutative product in terms of explicit coordinates and discuss the physical and dynamical picture. The isomorphism is then used as a base for the translation of the differential symplectic geometry of the infinite dimensional manifolds onto the observable algebra as a noncommutative geometry. Hence, we obtain the latter from the physical theory itself. We have essentially an extended formalism of the Schrodinger versus Heisenberg picture which we describe mathematically as like a coordinate map from the phase space, for which we have presented argument to be seen as the quantum model of the physical space, to the noncommutative geometry coordinated by the six position and momentum operators. The observable algebra is taken essentially as an algebra of formal functions on the latter operators. The work formulates the intuitive idea that the noncommutative geometry can be seen as an alternative, noncommutative coordinate, picture of familiar quantum phase space, at least so long as the symplectic geometry is concerned.
Traditional Quantum Scattering theory is built upon a Hilbert space formalism. The nature of the Hilbert space has led to a number of ideas about the nature of scattering systems, chief among them being the understanding that the decay of unstable quan- tum systems cannot be purely exponential and that there can only be an approximate relationship between the width Γ of a scattering resonance and the lifetime τ of the resonant state whose formation gives rise to it. That such physical conclusions are de- rived from purely mathematical properties of the underlying topological vector space inform the notion that, in choosing a particular space, one is choosing the mathemat- ical representation of the physical universe for the system. With this notion in mind, purely physical characteristics of quantum systems are used to answer the question: “What is the proper mathematical space for quantum mechanical calculations?” In the particular case of quantum scattering, it is shown that this approach casts the choice of the Hilbert space into doubt and motivates instead the use of rigged Hilbert spaces employing Hardy spaces; in these Hardy rigged Hilbert spaces, exponential decay is permissible and the time evolution of decaying states is governed by semigroups. The original theories concerning deviation from exponential decay in the Hilbert space are revisited to reveal how their conclusions flow from a mathematical property whose physical interpretation is problematic. Finally, an application of a Hardy rigged Hilbert space formalism is presented: Time Asymmetric Quantum Mechanics, as developed by A. Bohm, M. Gadella, and S. Wickramasekara.