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International Journal of Modern Physics A

QUANTUM MECHANICS WITH p-ADIC NUMBERS

Yannick Meurice

Published Nov 20, 1989• 31 citations
Publisher

Abstract

We discuss unitary realizations of the Heisenberg group and the linear canonical transformations over a complex Hilbert space but with dynamical variables on a p-adic field Qp. For all p, an appropriate choice of phase turns the realization of the linear canonical transformation into a representation up to a sign of SL (2, Qp). We give the spectra of the subgroups corresponding to the free particle and the harmonic oscillator. We discuss briefly the possibility of an adelic interpretation.

DOI
10.1142/s0217751x8900217x

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We discuss unitary realizations of the Heisenberg group and the linear canonical transformations over a complex Hilbert space but with dynamical variables on a p-adic field Qp. For all p, an appropriate choice of phase turns the realization of the linear canonical transformation into a representation up to a sign of SL (2, Qp). We give the spectra of the subgroups corresponding to the free particle and the harmonic oscillator. We discuss briefly the possibility of an adelic interpretation.
A formulation of quantum mechanics on p-adic number fields is presented. Quantum amplitudes are taken as complex functions of p-adic variables and it is shown how the Weyl approach to quantum mechanics can be generalized to the p-adic case. The p-adic analogs of simple one-dimensional systems (free particle, compact and noncompact oscillators) are defined by a ‘‘group of motion,’’ which is an Abelian subgroup of SL (2,Qp). In each case the evolution operator is a unitary representation of the appropriate group. Its spectrum is given by characters and its eigenstates are calculated.
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While groups of point transformations such as rotations, translations and permutations have been extensively used in quantum mechanics, we cannot say the same of the more general groups of canonical transformations. To begin with, for the latter groups we have to determine their unitary representation in appropriate spaces. But once this is achieved canonical transformations can play as important a role in quantum mechanics as point transformations. We illustrate this in relation with the harmonic oscillator in one and many dimensions and for one and many particles. We show how radial matrix elements with respect to harmonic oscillator states can be determined group theoretically both in the Schroedinger and Heisenberg pictures. We discuss the application of canonical transformations to the three body nuclear problem. We briefly outline in the concluding section applications to Coulomb problems, many body systems, accidental degeneracy, and generalized integral transforms.
This review covers an important domain of p-adic mathematical physics — quantum mechanics with p-adic valued wave functions. We start with basic mathematical constructions of this quantum model: Hilbert spaces over quadratic extensions of the field of p-adic numbers ℚ p , operators — symmetric, unitary, isometric, one-parameter groups of unitary isometric operators, the p-adic version of Schrödinger’s quantization, representation of canonical commutation relations in Heisenberg andWeyl forms, spectral properties of the operator of p-adic coordinate.We also present postulates of p-adic valued quantization. Here observables as well as probabilities take values in ℚ p . A physical interpretation of p-adic quantities is provided through approximation by rational numbers.
The purpose of this article is to present a detailed analysis on the quantum mechnical level of the canonical transformation between coordinate-momentum and number-phase descriptions for systems possessing an sl (2,R) dynamical algebra, specifically, the radial harmonic oscillator and pseudo-Coulomb systems. The former one includes the attractive and repulsive oscillators and the free particle, each with an additional ’’centrifugal’’ force, while the latter includes the bound, free and threshold states with an added ’’centrifugal’’ force. This is implemented as a unitary mapping—canonical transform—between the usual Hilbert space ℒ2 of quantum mechanics and a new set of Hilbert spaces on the circle whose coordinate has the meaning of a phase variable. Moreover, the UIR’s D+k of the universal covering group of SL (2,R) realized on the former space are mapped unitarily onto the latter.
In this thesis we look at how it is possible to construct models in quantum mechanics by using p-adic numbers. First we look closely at different quantum mechanical models using the real numbers, as it is necessary to understand them well before moving on to p-adic numbers. The most promising model, where Weyl systems are used, is studied in detail. Here time translation is not generated by the Hamiltonian, but constructed directly as an operator possessing some fundamental structure in relation to the classical dynamics. Then we develop the relevant theory of the field of p-adic numbers Qp , with a focus on the properties of Qp as a locally compact abelian group. Here we present alternative proofs to those found in the literature. In particular, we give an independent proof of the selfduality of Qp. In the last chapters we look at some models using Qp . We generalize the idea of Weyl systems from real to p-adic numbers, and we discuss the physical implications. When using Weyl systems, time is p-adic. We also produce MatLab algorithms for numerical computations in connection with approximations of p-adic models by finite models.