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

CRC Press eBooks

Bohmian Trajectories as the Foundation of Quantum Mechanics

Sheldon Goldstein, Roderich Tumulka, Nino Zanghì

Published Apr 19, 2016• 13 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Bohmian trajectories have been used for various purposes, including the numerical simulation of the time-dependent Schrödinger equation and the visualization of timedependent wave functions. We review the purpose they were invented for: to serve as the foundation of quantum mechanics, i.e., to explain quantum mechanics in terms of a theory that is free of paradoxes and allows an understanding that is as clear as that of classical mechanics. Indeed, they succeed in serving that purpose in the context of a theory known as Bohmian mechanics, to which this article is an introduction.

DOI
10.1201/b10287-6

Related papers

Bohmian Trajectories as the Foundation of Quantum Mechanics

Sheldon Goldstein

Bohmian trajectories have been used for various purposes, including the numerical simulation of the time-dependent Schroedinger equation and the visualization of time-dependent wave functions. We review the purpose they were invented for: to serve as the foundation of quantum mechanics, i.e., to explain quantum mechanics in terms of a theory that is free of paradoxes and allows an understanding that is as clear as that of classical mechanics. Indeed, they succeed in serving that purpose in the context of a theory known as Bohmian mechanics, to which this article is an introduction.

arXiv:0912.2666•CRC Press eBooks•Jul 24, 2018•5 citations

Bohmian Grids and the Numerics of Schrödinger Evolutions

Bohmian mechanics [1, 2] is a mechanical theory about the motion of particles. In contrast to quantum mechanics, Bohmian mechanics is a complete physical theory which leaves no interpretational freedom; in particular, it is free of paradoxes like Schrödinger’s cat. This completeness is achieved by introducing a definite configuration of particles for all times which is governed by the Bohmian velocity law. The predictions of Bohmian mechanics agree with those of quantum mechanics whenever the latter are unambiguous. Besides that, it turns out that in some situations the Bohmian velocity law is a convenient tool for the numerical integration of the Schrödinger equation. There is a lot of literature which explains the physical side of Bohmian mechanics, see e.g. Ref. [2]. The role of this chapter is to explain the advantages in using Bohmian mechanics for numerics.

CRC Press eBooks•Apr 19, 2016•0 citations

Exploring non-asymptotic scattering with Bohmian trajectories

Jared R. Stenson, Albert W. Stetz

Beginning with the conventional asymptotic description of quantum scattering, we propose a simple wave function that is valid at all distances and compute the corresponding Bohmian trajectories. This 'simulated experiment' allows a concrete visualization of the process throughout the scattering interaction. Not only is this of pedagogic value at the undergraduate level, it also illustrates several important themes in time-dependent scattering theory, such as the importance of wave packets, the role of cross sections in describing measurement and the wave and particle pictures of quantum mechanics.

European Journal of Physics•Jul 18, 2013•6 citations

Recent Analytical Studies of Complex Quantum Trajectories

Chia‐Chun Chou, Róbert E. Wyatt

Bohmian mechanics, developed by Bohm in 1952, provides an alternative interpretation to nonrelativistic quantum mechanics [1-3]. In the hydrodynamic formulation of quantum mechanics, the continuity equation and the quantum Hamilton-Jacobi equation (QHJE) are obtained by substituting the wave function expressed in terms of the real amplitude and the real action function into the time-dependent Schrödinger equation. Bohm’s analytical approach has been used to compute and interpret realvalued quantum trajectories from a precomputed wave function for a diverse range of physical processes [3-8]. In the synthetic approach, the quantum trajectory method has been developed as a computational tool to generate the wave function by evolving ensembles of real-valued quantum trajectories through the integration of the hydrodynamic equations on the fly [9]. Remarkable progress has been made in the use of T&F Cat # K11224, Chapter 18, Page 284, 15-9-2010 real-valued quantum trajectories for solving a wide range of quantum mechanical problems [10].

CRC Press eBooks•Apr 19, 2016•0 citations

Basic elements of Bohmian mechanics

Emmanuel E. Haven, Andrei Yu. Khrennikov

Short introduction to Bohmian mechanics Sheldon Goldstein in a Foundations of Physics paper [1] indicates (p. 341): “Since macroscopic objects are normally regarded as built out of microscopic constituents …there can be no problem of macroscopic reality per se in Bohmian mechanics.” Goldstein in the same paper remarks (p. 342) that this | ψ | 2 has “a status very much the same as that of a thermodynamic equilibrium.” Basil Hiley the closest collaborator of David Bohm, says the following (Hiley [2] (p. 2)): “What Bohm (1952a; 1952b) did was to show how to retain a description of all the usual properties of a classical world and yet remain completely within the quantum formalism.” The Bohm (1952) [3] [4] references in that quote refer to the original work of Bohm in which he sets out the basics of the Bohmian mechanics. As we will see later in the next section of this chapter, the appearance of an “additional term” in the Hamilton-Jacobi equation, is the hallmark of Bohmian mechanics and it is very often termed the “quantum potential.” Hiley [2] (p. 2) remarks that since the Bohmian momentum is a well-defined function of position and time, an ensemble of trajectories can be found when the quantum potential is non-zero. A unique, classical path is found when the quantum potential is zero. From the outset, we hope the reader can savor the beauty of this simple but very powerful result. Bohmian mechanics indeed shows this very gentle transition from quantum mechanics to classical mechanics via the value of the quantum potential.

Cambridge University Press eBooks•Jan 17, 2013•0 citations

The Role of Trajectories in Quantum Chemistry and Chemical Physics

Ángel S. Sanz, Salvador Miret-Artés

This chapter provides a comprehensive overview of the Bohmian formulation of quantummechanics. It starts with a historical review of the difficulties found by Louis de Broglie, David Bohm, and John S. Bell to convince the scientific community about the validity and utility of Bohmian mechanics. Then, a formal explanation of Bohmian mechanics for nonrelativistic, single-particle quantum systems is presented. The generalization to many-particle systems, where the exchange interaction and the spin play an important role, is also presented. After that, the measurement process in Bohmian mechanics is discussed. It is emphasized that Bohmian mechanics exactly reproduces the mean value and temporal and spatial correlations obtained from the standard, that is the Copenhagen or orthodox, formulation. The ontological characteristics of Bohmian mechanics provide a description of measurements as another type of interaction without the need for introducing the wave function collapse. Several solved problems are presented at the end of the chapter, giving additional mathematical support to some particular issues. A detailed description of computational algorithms to obtain Bohmian trajectories from the numerical solution of the Schro¨dinger or the Hamilton-Jacobi equations are presented in an appendix. The motivation of this chapter is twofold: first, as a didactic introduction to Bohmian formalism, which is used in the subsequent chapters, and second, as a self-contained summary for any newcomer interested in using Bohmian mechanics in his or her daily research activity.

Pan Stanford Publishing eBooks•Jun 4, 2012•1 citation
Bohmian trajectories have been used for various purposes, including the numerical simulation of the time-dependent Schrödinger equation and the visualization of timedependent wave functions. We review the purpose they were invented for: to serve as the foundation of quantum mechanics, i.e., to explain quantum mechanics in terms of a theory that is free of paradoxes and allows an understanding that is as clear as that of classical mechanics. Indeed, they succeed in serving that purpose in the context of a theory known as Bohmian mechanics, to which this article is an introduction.
Bohmian trajectories have been used for various purposes, including the numerical simulation of the time-dependent Schroedinger equation and the visualization of time-dependent wave functions. We review the purpose they were invented for: to serve as the foundation of quantum mechanics, i.e., to explain quantum mechanics in terms of a theory that is free of paradoxes and allows an understanding that is as clear as that of classical mechanics. Indeed, they succeed in serving that purpose in the context of a theory known as Bohmian mechanics, to which this article is an introduction.
Bohmian mechanics [1, 2] is a mechanical theory about the motion of particles. In contrast to quantum mechanics, Bohmian mechanics is a complete physical theory which leaves no interpretational freedom; in particular, it is free of paradoxes like Schrödinger’s cat. This completeness is achieved by introducing a definite configuration of particles for all times which is governed by the Bohmian velocity law. The predictions of Bohmian mechanics agree with those of quantum mechanics whenever the latter are unambiguous. Besides that, it turns out that in some situations the Bohmian velocity law is a convenient tool for the numerical integration of the Schrödinger equation. There is a lot of literature which explains the physical side of Bohmian mechanics, see e.g. Ref. [2]. The role of this chapter is to explain the advantages in using Bohmian mechanics for numerics.
Beginning with the conventional asymptotic description of quantum scattering, we propose a simple wave function that is valid at all distances and compute the corresponding Bohmian trajectories. This 'simulated experiment' allows a concrete visualization of the process throughout the scattering interaction. Not only is this of pedagogic value at the undergraduate level, it also illustrates several important themes in time-dependent scattering theory, such as the importance of wave packets, the role of cross sections in describing measurement and the wave and particle pictures of quantum mechanics.
Bohmian mechanics, developed by Bohm in 1952, provides an alternative interpretation to nonrelativistic quantum mechanics [1-3]. In the hydrodynamic formulation of quantum mechanics, the continuity equation and the quantum Hamilton-Jacobi equation (QHJE) are obtained by substituting the wave function expressed in terms of the real amplitude and the real action function into the time-dependent Schrödinger equation. Bohm’s analytical approach has been used to compute and interpret realvalued quantum trajectories from a precomputed wave function for a diverse range of physical processes [3-8]. In the synthetic approach, the quantum trajectory method has been developed as a computational tool to generate the wave function by evolving ensembles of real-valued quantum trajectories through the integration of the hydrodynamic equations on the fly [9]. Remarkable progress has been made in the use of T&F Cat # K11224, Chapter 18, Page 284, 15-9-2010 real-valued quantum trajectories for solving a wide range of quantum mechanical problems [10].
Short introduction to Bohmian mechanics Sheldon Goldstein in a Foundations of Physics paper [1] indicates (p. 341): “Since macroscopic objects are normally regarded as built out of microscopic constituents …there can be no problem of macroscopic reality per se in Bohmian mechanics.” Goldstein in the same paper remarks (p. 342) that this | ψ | 2 has “a status very much the same as that of a thermodynamic equilibrium.” Basil Hiley the closest collaborator of David Bohm, says the following (Hiley [2] (p. 2)): “What Bohm (1952a; 1952b) did was to show how to retain a description of all the usual properties of a classical world and yet remain completely within the quantum formalism.” The Bohm (1952) [3] [4] references in that quote refer to the original work of Bohm in which he sets out the basics of the Bohmian mechanics. As we will see later in the next section of this chapter, the appearance of an “additional term” in the Hamilton-Jacobi equation, is the hallmark of Bohmian mechanics and it is very often termed the “quantum potential.” Hiley [2] (p. 2) remarks that since the Bohmian momentum is a well-defined function of position and time, an ensemble of trajectories can be found when the quantum potential is non-zero. A unique, classical path is found when the quantum potential is zero. From the outset, we hope the reader can savor the beauty of this simple but very powerful result. Bohmian mechanics indeed shows this very gentle transition from quantum mechanics to classical mechanics via the value of the quantum potential.
This chapter provides a comprehensive overview of the Bohmian formulation of quantummechanics. It starts with a historical review of the difficulties found by Louis de Broglie, David Bohm, and John S. Bell to convince the scientific community about the validity and utility of Bohmian mechanics. Then, a formal explanation of Bohmian mechanics for nonrelativistic, single-particle quantum systems is presented. The generalization to many-particle systems, where the exchange interaction and the spin play an important role, is also presented. After that, the measurement process in Bohmian mechanics is discussed. It is emphasized that Bohmian mechanics exactly reproduces the mean value and temporal and spatial correlations obtained from the standard, that is the Copenhagen or orthodox, formulation. The ontological characteristics of Bohmian mechanics provide a description of measurements as another type of interaction without the need for introducing the wave function collapse. Several solved problems are presented at the end of the chapter, giving additional mathematical support to some particular issues. A detailed description of computational algorithms to obtain Bohmian trajectories from the numerical solution of the Schro¨dinger or the Hamilton-Jacobi equations are presented in an appendix. The motivation of this chapter is twofold: first, as a didactic introduction to Bohmian formalism, which is used in the subsequent chapters, and second, as a self-contained summary for any newcomer interested in using Bohmian mechanics in his or her daily research activity.