The most general evolution of the density matrix of a quantum system with a finite-dimensional state space is by stochastic maps which take a density matrix linearly into the set of density matrices. These dynamical stochastic maps form a linear convex set that may be viewed as supermatrices. The property of Hermiticity of density matrices renders an associated supermatrix Hermitian and hence diagonalizable. The positivity of the density matrix does not make the associated supermatrix positive though. If the map itself is positive, it is called completely positive and it has a simple parametrization. This is extended to all positive (not completely positive) maps. A general dynamical map that does not preserve the norm of the density matrices it acts on can be thought of as the contraction of a norm-preserving map of an extended system. The reconstruction of such extended dynamics is also given.The most general evolution of the density matrix of a quantum system with a finite-dimensional state space is by stochastic maps which take a density matrix linearly into the set of density matrices. These dynamical stochastic maps form a linear convex set that may be viewed as supermatrices. The property of Hermiticity of density matrices renders an associated supermatrix Hermitian and hence diagonalizable. The positivity of the density matrix does not make the associated supermatrix positive though. If the map itself is positive, it is called completely positive and it has a simple parametrization. This is extended to all positive (not completely positive) maps. A general dynamical map that does not preserve the norm of the density matrices it acts on can be thought of as the contraction of a norm-preserving map of an extended system. The reconstruction of such extended dynamics is also given.

arXiv:quant-ph/0109158Journal of Physics A Mathematical and GeneralApr 24, 200318 citations

Density matrix formalism for coupled dynamical systems

D. Berkowitz, Vilen Zevin

Physica A Statistical Mechanics and its ApplicationsOct 1, 19781 citation

Assumptions that imply quantum dynamics is linear

Thomas F. Jordan

A basic linearity of quantum dynamics, that density matrices are mapped linearly to density matrices, is proven very simply for a system that does not interact with anything else. It is assumed that at each time the physical quantities and states are described by the usual linear structures of quantum mechanics. Beyond that, the proof assumes only that the dynamics does not depend on anything outside the system but must allow the system to be described as part of a larger system. The basic linearity is linked with previously established results to complete a simple derivation of the linear Schr\"odinger equation. For this it is assumed that density matrices are mapped one-to-one onto density matrices. An alternative is to assume that pure states are mapped one-to-one onto pure states and that entropy does not decrease.A basic linearity of quantum dynamics, that density matrices are mapped linearly to density matrices, is proven very simply for a system that does not interact with anything else. It is assumed that at each time the physical quantities and states are described by the usual linear structures of quantum mechanics. Beyond that, the proof assumes only that the dynamics does not depend on anything outside the system but must allow the system to be described as part of a larger system. The basic linearity is linked with previously established results to complete a simple derivation of the linear Schr\"odinger equation. For this it is assumed that density matrices are mapped one-to-one onto density matrices. An alternative is to assume that pure states are mapped one-to-one onto pure states and that entropy does not decrease.

arXiv:quant-ph/0508092Physical Review AFeb 2, 200641 citations

Nonlinear classical dynamics described by a density matrix in the classical limit

Gaspar Gonzalez, Angel Ricardo Plastino, Andrés M. Kowaslki

Chinese Journal of PhysicsMar 10, 20260 citations

Density Matrices and Perturbation Theory

Mitchel Weissbluth

Elsevier eBooksJan 1, 19890 citations

Effective nonlinear Ehrenfest hybrid quantum-classical dynamics

José L. Alonso, Carlos Bouthelier-Madre, Jesús Clemente-Gallardo +2 more

Abstract The definition of a consistent evolution equation for statistical hybrid quantum-classical systems is still an open problem. In this paper, we analyze the case of Ehrenfest dynamics on systems defined by a probability density and identify the relations of the nonlinearity of the dynamics with the obstructions to define a consistent dynamics for the first quantum moment of the distribution. This first quantum moment represents the physical states as a family of classically-parametrized density matrices ${\hat{\rho }}(\xi )$ ρ ^ ( ξ ) , for $\xi$ ξ a classical point; and it is the most common representation of hybrid systems in the literature. Due to this obstruction, we consider higher order quantum moments, and argue that only a finite number of them are physically measurable. Because of this, we propose an effective solution for the hybrid dynamics problem based on approximating the distribution by those moments and representing the states by them.Abstract The definition of a consistent evolution equation for statistical hybrid quantum-classical systems is still an open problem. In this paper, we analyze the case of Ehrenfest dynamics on systems defined by a probability density and identify the relations of the nonlinearity of the dynamics with the obstructions to define a consistent dynamics for the first quantum moment of the distribution. This first quantum moment represents the physical states as a family of classically-parametrized density matrices $${\hat{\rho }}(\xi )$$ ρ ^ ( ξ ) , for $$\xi$$ ξ a classical point; and it is the most common representation of hybrid systems in the literature. Due to this obstruction, we consider higher order quantum moments, and argue that only a finite number of them are physically measurable. Because of this, we propose an effective solution for the hybrid dynamics problem based on approximating the distribution by those moments and representing the states by them.

arXiv:2308.14440The European Physical Journal PlusJul 25, 202311 citations

{\hat{\rho }}(\xi )

ρ ^ ( ξ ) , for

\xi

ξ a classical point; and it is the most common representation of hybrid systems in the literature. Due to this obstruction, we consider higher order quantum moments, and argue that only a finite number of them are physically measurable. Because of this, we propose an effective solution for the hybrid dynamics problem based on approximating the distribution by those moments and representing the states by them.