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International Journal of Modern Physics B

THE DIFFEOMORPHISM GROUP APPROACH TO NONLINEAR QUANTUM SYSTEMS

Gerald A. Goldin

Published Jun 1, 1992• 32 citations
Publisher

Abstract

Unitary representations of diffeomorphism groups predict some unusual possibilities in quantum theory, including non-standard statistics and certain nonlinear effects. Many of the fundamental physical properties of “anyons” were first derived from their study by R. Menikoff, D.H. Sharp, and the author. This paper surveys new applications in two other domains: first (with Menikoff and Sharp) some surprising conclusions about the nature of quantum vortex configurations in ideal, incompressible fluids; second (with H.-D. Doebner) a natural description of dissipative quantum mechanics by means of a nonlinear Schrödinger equation different from the sort usually studied. Our equation follows from including a diffusion current in the equation of continuity.

DOI
10.1142/s0217979292000931

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Unitary representations of diffeomorphism groups predict some unusual possibilities in quantum theory, including non-standard statistics and certain nonlinear effects. Many of the fundamental physical properties of “anyons” were first derived from their study by R. Menikoff, D.H. Sharp, and the author. This paper surveys new applications in two other domains: first (with Menikoff and Sharp) some surprising conclusions about the nature of quantum vortex configurations in ideal, incompressible fluids; second (with H.-D. Doebner) a natural description of dissipative quantum mechanics by means of a nonlinear Schrödinger equation different from the sort usually studied. Our equation follows from including a diffusion current in the equation of continuity.
The authors recently derived a family of nonlinear Schrodinger equations on R 3 from fundamental considerations of generalized symmetry: ih(cross) delta t psi =-(h(cross) 2 /2m) Del 2 psi +F( psi , psi ) psi +ih(cross)D( Del 2 psi +( mod Del psi mod 2 / mod psi mod 2 ) psi ), where F is an arbitrary real functional and D a real, continuous quantum number. These equations, descriptive of a quantum mechanical current that includes a diffusive term, correspond to unitary representations of the group Diff(M) parametrized by D, where M=R 3 is the physical space. In the present paper we explore the most natural ansatz for F, which is labelled by five real coefficients. We discuss the invariance properties, describe the stationary states and some non-stationary solutions, and determine the extra, dissipative terms that occur in the Ehrenfest theorem. We identify an interesting, Galilean-invariant subfamily whose properties we investigate, including the case where the dissipative terms vanish.
About 15 years ago, we (Heinz-Dietrich Doebner and I) proposed a special type of nonlinear modification of the usual Schrödinger time-evolution equation in quantum mechanics. Our equation was motivated by certain unitary representations of the group of diffeomorphisms of physical space, in the framework of either nonrelativistic local current algebra or quantum Borel kinematics. Subsequently, we developed this and related approaches to nonlinearity in quantum mechanics considerably further, to incorporate theories of measurement, groups of nonlinear gauge transformations, symmetry and invariance properties, unification of a large family of nonlinear perturbations, and possible physical contexts for quantum nonlinearity. Some of our results and highlights of some open questions are summarized.
In earlier work we proposed a family of nonlinear time-evolution equations for quantum mechanics associated with certain unitary group representations [Doebner and Goldin, Phys. Lett. A 162, 397 (1992); J. Phys. A 27, 1771 (1994)]. Such nonlinear Schr\"odinger equations are expected to describe irreversible and dissipative quantum systems. Here we introduce and justify physically the group of nonlinear gauge transformations necessary to interpret our equations. We determine the parameters that are actually gauge invariant and describe some of their properties. Our conclusions contradict, at least in part, the view that any nonlinearity in quantum mechanics leads to unphysical predictions. We also show how time-dependent nonlinear gauge transformations connect our equations to those proposed by Kostin [J. Chem. Phys. 57, 3589 (1972)] and by Bialynicki-Birula and Mycielski [Ann. Phys. 100, 62 (1976)]. We believe our approach to be a fundamental generalization of the usual notions about gauge transformations in quantum mechanics. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.
A certain infinite-dimensional Lie group, obtained originally by regularizing and then exponentiating a singular local current algebra constructed from canonical fields, has been shown over several decades to describe a wide variety of quantum systems, via its continuous unitary representations. The group is a semidirect product of Schwartz space functions under pointwise addition with a diffeomorphism group under composition. Previously unsuspected possibilities were predicted this way, including anyons and nonabelian anyons in two-dimensional space. Last year David Sharp and I offered a much simpler, direct construction. We proposed fundamental reasons why this group serves as a universal kinematical group for quantum systems with mass in an arbitrary physical space. This paper beyond summarizing that construction, discusses more extensively what it means to obtain quantum mechanics without actually quantizing classical observables in phase space, and answers some fundamental questions. Directions are suggested for obtaining still greater generality of kinematical and dynamical possibilities by modifying the initial assumptions.
In 1968, Dashen and Sharp obtained a certain singular Lie algebra of local densities and currents from canonical commutation relations in nonrelativistic quantum field theory. The corresponding Lie group is infinite dimensional: the natural semidirect product of an additive group of scalar functions with a group of diffeomorphisms. Unitary representations of this group describe a wide variety of quantum systems, and have predicted previously unsuspected possibilities – notably, anyons and nonabelian anyons in two space dimensions. We present here foundational reasons why this semidirect product group serves as a universal kinematical group for quantum mechanics. We obtain thus a unified account of all possible quantum kinematics for systems with mass in an arbitrary physical space, and clarify the role played by topology in quantum mechanics. Our development does not require quantization of classical phase space; rather, the classical limit follows from the quantum mechanics. We also consider the relationship of our development to Heisenberg quantization.