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Physical Review A

Nambu mechanics and its quantization

Debendranath Sahoo, M. C. Valsakumar

Published Oct 1, 1992• 44 citations
Publisher

Abstract

The algebra of observables inherent in the Nambu formalism [Phys. Rev. D 7, 2405 (1973)] for a generalization of classical Hamiltonian dynamics is investigated. A consistency requirement of time evolution of the Nambu bracket leads to a five-point identity. Two types of algebras are possible at the classical level. Their composition properties under a tensor product are considered and the physical implications are analyzed. A quantum generalization of these algebras is shown to be impossible.

DOI
10.1103/physreva.46.4410

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The algebra of observables inherent in the Nambu formalism [Phys. Rev. D 7, 2405 (1973)] for a generalization of classical Hamiltonian dynamics is investigated. A consistency requirement of time evolution of the Nambu bracket leads to a five-point identity. Two types of algebras are possible at the classical level. Their composition properties under a tensor product are considered and the physical implications are analyzed. A quantum generalization of these algebras is shown to be impossible.
Abstract Nambu mechanics is a generalized Hamiltonian dynamics characterized by an extended phase space and multiple Hamiltonians. In a previous paper [Prog. Theor. Exp. Phys. 2013, 073A01 (2013)] we revealed that the Nambu mechanical structure is hidden in Hamiltonian dynamics, that is, the classical time evolution of variables including redundant degrees of freedom can be formulated as Nambu mechanics. In the present paper we show that the Nambu mechanical structure is also hidden in some quantum or semiclassical dynamics, that is, in some cases the quantum or semiclassical time evolution of expectation values of quantum mechanical operators, including composite operators, can be formulated as Nambu mechanics. We present a procedure to find hidden Nambu structures in quantum/semiclassical systems of one degree of freedom, and give two examples: the exact quantum dynamics of a harmonic oscillator, and semiclassical wave packet dynamics. Our formalism can be extended to many-degrees-of-freedom systems; however, there is a serious difficulty in this case due to interactions between degrees of freedom. To illustrate our formalism we present two sets of numerical results on semiclassical dynamics: from a one-dimensional metastable potential model and a simplified Henon–Heiles model of two interacting oscillators.
Abstract Taking as a model the fact that Heisenberg’s matrix mechanics was derived from Hamiltonian mechanics using the correspondence principle, we explore a class of dynamical systems involving discrete variables, with Nambu mechanics as the starting point. Specifically, we reconstruct an extended version of matrix mechanics that describes dynamical systems possessing physical quantities expressed through generalized matrices. Furthermore, we reconfirm that a multiple commutator involving generalized matrices can serve as a discrete (quantized) version of the Nambu bracket or the Jacobian.
Any particular form of mechanics (e.g. classical or quantum) makes use of a particular ‘formalism’ or set of rules governing the use of the symbols representing dynamical variables and the symbols (such as +, =) representing relations between dynamical variables. In the present paper an attempt is made to examine the physical content of this formalism, particularly that of quantum mechanics. This is done by building up a formalism as the direct expression of a number of physical postulates having direct operational meaning. It is shown that, in a simple case, with any two observables A and B can be associated a unique sum observable A + B and a unique (real) symmetric product observable A.B (= B.A). It is next shown that, if, like a classical Hamiltonian system, the system has the property that the time rate of change of an observable depends linearly on some observable H when the environment in which the system moves is varied, then a (real) skew product observable A × B (= − B × A) can be defined. Finally, if the equations of motion are ‘of second order', it is possible to express the second rate of change of any observable as an algebraic function of that observable and H. This leads to algebraic identities from which it follows that ‘complex multiplication’, defined by AB = A.B + iA × B, is associative (but not commutative). Observables are thus shown to possess the properties usually ascribed to them in quantum mechanics. These properties make possible a representation by Hermitian matrices.
We propose a generalization of the standard geometric formulation of quantum mechanics, based on the classical Nambu dynamics of free Euler tops. This extended quantum mechanics has in lieu of the standard exponential time evolution, a nonlinear temporal evolution given by Jacobi elliptic functions. In the limit where latter's moduli parameters are set to zero, the usual geometric formulation of quantum mechanics, based on the Kahler structure of a complex projective Hilbert space, is recovered. We point out various novel features of this extended quantum mechanics, including its geometric aspects. Our approach sheds a new light on the problem of quantization of Nambu dynamics. Finally, we argue that the structure of this nonlinear quantum mechanics is natural from the point of view of string theory.