We formulate a continuity equation for the Schrödinger equation in the complex space. We define a complex momentum by normalizing the complex current by the particle density. This momentum is a quantum analog of the classical, kinematic momentum analytically continued into the complex plane. The kinematic momentum and the gradient of the wavefunction's phase each represent a fluid-like flow in the complex plane; the phase-gradient flow is incompressible. The zeros of the wavefunction give rise to simple poles in the momentum. The poles manifest as irrotational vortexes in the phase-gradient flow, while critical points of the wavefunction present as rigid body-like rotational flows of the kinematic momentum. A discrete nature of elementary excitations comes about inherently because the quantity of the poles is automatically integer. An exact quantization condition is subsequently formulated, which reduces to the Bohr-Sommerfeld condition in the semiclassical limit. We establish a priori that the Bohr-Sommerfeld condition must be exact for the Harmonic Oscillator. We show that the kinetic energy is a sum of contributions of the average value and fluctuations, respectively, of the kinematic momentum. The zero-point vibrations within bound states are solely due to the fluctuations of the momentum and manifest as rigid-body flows at infinity. The momentum poles -- and hence the wavefunction's zeros -- can be viewed as emergent, consistent with the remarkable property of quantum entanglement exhibited by standing wave solutions of the Schrödinger equation.
We formulate a continuity equation for the Schrödinger equation in the complex space. We define a complex momentum by normalizing the complex current by the particle density. This momentum is a quantum analog of the classical, kinematic momentum analytically continued into the complex plane. The kinematic momentum and the gradient of the wavefunction's phase each represent a fluid-like flow in the complex plane; the phase-gradient flow is incompressible. The zeros of the wavefunction give rise to simple poles in the momentum. The poles manifest as irrotational vortexes in the phase-gradient flow, while critical points of the wavefunction present as rigid body-like rotational flows of the kinematic momentum. A discrete nature of elementary excitations comes about inherently because the quantity of the poles is automatically integer. An exact quantization condition is subsequently formulated, which reduces to the Bohr-Sommerfeld condition in the semiclassical limit. We establish a priori that the Bohr-Sommerfeld condition must be exact for the Harmonic Oscillator. We show that the kinetic energy is a sum of contributions of the average value and fluctuations, respectively, of the kinematic momentum. The zero-point vibrations within bound states are solely due to the fluctuations of the momentum and manifest as rigid-body flows at infinity. The momentum poles -- and hence the wavefunction's zeros -- can be viewed as emergent, consistent with the remarkable property of quantum entanglement exhibited by standing wave solutions of the Schrödinger equation.
In a quantum bound state,spatial density is given by W(x)W(x), where W(x) is the wavefunction, average momentum by -i d ln(W) /dx and average kinetic energy at x by -1/2m d/dx d/dx W / W. One may note that: -1/2m d/dx d/dx W / W + V(x) = E is the time independent Schrodinger equation which may be solved for W(x) and E without any concept of spatial density. Furthermore, one may calculate and <p*p>, also without any concept of spatial density. This differs from the case of a classical fluid situation for which there is no W(x). We argue that kinematics of a bound state are contained in W(x) and that the Schrodinger equation is like a probability conservation hydrodynamic equation with spatial density replaced with W(x) and a V(x)W(x) term which we try to explain. In addition, the “conservation of momentum” hydrodynamic equation is essentially “d/dx” of the Schrodinger equation (if mass=m=.5). This strategy differs from the general approach used throughout the literature (for example (1) and many other cases), where spatial density is taken as the starting point of a quantum hydrodynamic formalism. Spatial density is utilized in a continuity equation of the form d/dt [W*W] + d/dx [W*W v] = 0 where v is a collective velocity and d/dt the partial derivative with respect to time. We argue one only needs the concept of a wavefunction as the normalization constant of the conditional probability P(p/x)= a(p)exp(ipx) / W(x) i.e. W(x)= sum over p a(p) exp(ipx). From this wavefunction, one may calculate and <p*p>. Thus we argue that hydrodynamic type equations should apply to W(x). We pointed out in (2), that W(x) in fact satisfies a momentum continuity hydrodynamic equation if mass=.5.
A method for solution of the Schrödinger equation in momentum space is described. If the Schrodinger equation in momentum space is represented by Oχ=0, where O is an integral operator and χ is the momentum function, the method involves two steps: (i) the representation of χ as a rational function of P and (ii) expansion of Oχ in a power series in some appropriately chosen variable t (‖t‖≤1) which is a function of P. Equating to zero the coefficients of the first N powers of t (which determines the eigenvalues) makes Oχ differ from zero by terms of order tN. As N increases the eigenvalues approach the correct limiting values if the method converges. Within its circle of convergence a power series converges for both real and complex values of the variable and hence the Schrödinger equation, an integral equation, is forced to hold for both real and complex values of the variable. This is in contrast to variational methods which involve only real values of the independent variable. To test the method the motion of a particle in the field of a Yukawa potential is studied. Only the lowest energy state is considered. Two extreme cases, involving linear combinations of rational basis sets, are studied. Both basis sets are complete but the power series method converges only for one basis set. For the other set the power series method provides an eigenvalue which oscillates around the correct value without approaching a limit but a variation method using the same basis set converges rapidly to the correct eigenvalue. The variation method succeeds because the function is defined only on the real axis while the power series method fails because, in the complex plane, the basis set can only represent a meromorphic function (one whose only finite singular points are poles) and the momentum eigenfunction cannot be meromorphic. Thus the choice of a wrong basis set in a variation method can completely conceal the true analytic nature of an eigenfunction. It is shown that momentum eigenfunctions are not meromorphic because they possess branch points. This is true not only for the Yukawa potential but for several one-electron models including the Hartree–Fock equations.
Abstract A formalism of classical mechanics is given for time-dependent many-body states of quantum mechanics, describing both fluid flow and point mass trajectories. The familiar equations of energy, motion, and those of Lagrangian mechanics are obtained. An energy and continuity equation is demonstrated to be equivalent to the real and imaginary parts of the time dependent Schrödinger equation, respectively, where the Schrödinger equation is in density matrix form. For certain stationary states, using Lagrangian mechanics and a Hamiltonian function for quantum mechanics, equations for point-mass trajectories are obtained. For 1-body states and fluid flows, the energy equation and equations of motion are the Bernoulli and Euler equations of fluid mechanics, respectively. Generalizations of the energy and Euler equations are derived to obtain equations that are in the same form as they are in classical mechanics. The fluid flow type is compressible, inviscid, irrotational, with the nonclassical element of local variable mass. Over all space mass is conserved. The variable mass is a necessary condition for the fluid flow to agree with the zero orbital angular momentum for s states of hydrogen. Cross flows are examined, where velocity directions are changed without changing the kinetic energy. For one-electron atoms, the velocity modification gives closed orbits for trajectories, and mass conservation, vortexes, and density stratification for fluid flows. For many body states, under certain conditions, and by hypotheses, Euler equations of orbital-flows are obtained. One-body Schrödinger equations that are a generalization of the Hartree–Fock equations are also obtained. These equations contain a quantum Coulomb’s law, involving the 2-body pair function of reduced density matrix theory that replace the charge densities.
The Schrodinger equation has been considered to be a postulate of quantum physics, but it is also perceived and derived heuristically as the quantum equivalent of the classical energy relation. We indicate that the Schrodinger equation cannot be a physical postulate, and we show that the heuristic derivations wrongly consider that the particle kinetic energy is proportional to the square of the momentum operator acting on the wavefunction. The correct term is proportional to the square of the momentum. Analyzing particle interactions, we realize that particles have multiple virtual motions and that each motion is accompanied by a wave that has constant amplitude. Accordingly, we define the wavefunction as the superposition of the virtual waves of the particle. As a result, quantum mechanics becomes a local and global theory, while in the traditional formulation it is a local theory. In several interaction settings we can tell what particle motions arise and explain the outcomes in simple and tangible terms. Most importantly, the mathematical foundation of quantum mechanics becomes clear and justified, and we derive the Schrodinger, Dirac, etc. equations as the conditions the wavefunction must satisfy at each space-time point in order to fulfill the respective total energy equation.
This paper derives the non-relativistic time-dependent Schrödinger equation as the logically unavoidable dynamical law for de Broglie matter waves, extending the reconstruction begun in the companion work “The Logical Origin of the de Broglie Matter Wave and its Physical Meaning (the Born Rule)” (Chan, 2026). Starting from the same minimal premises—continuous position in real space, Fourier conjugacy (and the logical uncertainty principle), translation invariance via Noether’s theorem, and probability conservation via statistical energy flux—the Schrödinger equation follows deductively once norm preservation and classical non-relativistic correspondence are enforced. The derivation proceeds in clear stages: Plane-wave solutions for free particles and constant potentials, Quadratic dispersion relation from classical kinematics, Exact local plane-wave structure (defined via phase gradients) that must hold at every point for any smooth wave function, The unique linear differential operator of order ≤ 2 that consistently “glues” these local structures across smooth external potentials V(x,t) while preserving the L²-norm (unitarity). No canonical quantization, operator promotion, commutation relations, or postulated wave equations are used. The Born rule is taken as already established from the prior paper and serves only to constrain unitary evolution. The Schrödinger equation thus emerges not as an empirical postulate or convenient ansatz, but as the mathematically and symmetrically forced description of indivisible particles propagating in continuous, translationally invariant (or smoothly perturbed) space. Domain of validity and natural limitations (non-relativistic kinematics, smooth potentials, single-particle/mean-field regime, closed-system unitarity) are explicitly delineated.
Quantum mechanics is conventionally formulated in terms of complex Hilbert spaces, linear operators, and the Schrödinger equation. Although geometric structures play an increasingly important role in modern formulations of quantum theory, the wavefunction itself is generally regarded as a fundamental object. In this work, we investigate an alternative formulation in which the fundamental object is a coherence coordinate , where Omega represents radial coherence and Theta represents phase coherence associated with geometric transport. Starting from three assumptions—a coherence coordinate, a probability density generated by radial coherence, and a geometric Hamiltonian—we reconstruct the continuity equation, the quantum Hamilton–Jacobi equation, and ultimately the Schrödinger equation. Within this framework, the wavefunction appears as a derived quantity, while Hilbert spaces emerge naturally as spaces of square-integrable functions on a coherence manifold. The resulting construction establishes a differential-geometric representation of quantum mechanics and provides a common geometric language connecting quantum states, probability flow, geometric phases, holonomies, and gauge transport.