Stochastic theory for classical and quantum mechanical systems

We formulate from first principles a theory of stochastic processes in configuration space. The fundamental equations of the theory are an equation of motion which generalizes Newton's second law and an equation which expresses the condition of conservation of matter. Two types of stochastic motion are possible, both described by the same general equations, but leading in one case to classical Brownian motion behavior and in the other to quantum mechanical behavior. The Schrödinger equation, which is derived here with no further assumption, is thus shown to describe a specific stochastic process. It is explicitly shown that only in the quantum mechanical process does the superposition of probability amplitudes give rise to interference phenomena; moreover, the presence of dissipative forces in the Brownian motion equations invalidates the superposition principle. At no point are any special assumptions made concerning the physical nature of the underlying stochastic medium, although some suggestions are discussed in the last section.     

Nonlinear relaxation and fluctuations of damped quantum systems

The paper reexamines the treatment of irreversible quantum systems by master equations. Shortcomings of the conventional theory of quantum Markov processes pointed out by Talkner are analyzed. It is shown that a frequently used quantum regression hypothesis is not correct, in general. A new generalized master equation determining the relaxation to equilibrium is derived by means of time-dependent projection operator techniques. It is shown that this master equation also determines the time evolution of equilibrium correlations and response functions. The Markovian approximation is discussed, and a new type of Markovian limit, the Brownian motion limit, is introduced besides the weak coupling limit. The shortcomings of the conventional approach are resolved by deriving new formulae for the time evolution of the correlation and response functions of a quantum Markov process. The symmetries of the process are emphasized, and it is shown how the fluctuation-dissipation theorem and the detailed balance symmetry emerge from the master equation approach.     

Quark-Gluon Transport Equations in Lee Model

The non-equilibrium processes of quark-gluon-plasma (QGP) in the coexistent phase of first order phase transition are studied under Lee's model. Both the classical and the quantum transport equations of quark as well as the corresponding hydrodynamical equations are obtained. The classical transport equations are deduced from the quantum ones in the semiclassical limit, showing that the theory is self-consistent. The transport equations of gluon in the semi-classical limit and the equation for the fluctuation of gluon distribution function under the condition of near-equilibrium are also derived.     

Back-reaction equations for isotropic cosmologies when nonconformal particles are created

A model proposed some years ago by Hartle to study the back reaction in a cosmological model due to the creation of massless non-conformally coupled particles is reexamined. The model consists of a spatially flat FRW spacetime with a classical source made of two perfect fluids one a radiative fluid and the other a baryonic fluid with the equation of state of dust, and it is assumed that the ratio of baryons to photons is small. The back-reaction equations for the cosmological scale factor are derived using a CTP (closed time path) effective action method. Making use of the connection, in the semiclassical context, between the CTP effective action and the influence functional in quantum statistical mechanics, improved back-reaction equations are derived which take into account the fluctuations of the stress-energy tensor of the quantum field. These new dynamical equations are real and causal and predict stochastic fluctuations for the cosmological scale factor.     

Master equation for a quantum particle in a gas

The equation for the quantum motion of a Brownian particle in a gaseous environment is derived by means of S-matrix theory. This quantum version of the linear Boltzmann equation accounts nonperturbatively for the quantum effects of the scattering dynamics and describes decoherence and dissipation in a unified framework. As a completely positive master equation it incorporates both the known equation for an infinitely massive Brownian particle and the classical linear Boltzmann equation as limiting cases.     

Information in asset pricing: a wave function approach

This paper introduces a quantum‐like wave function as an information wave function. We show how the option pricing partial differential equation can be re‐written when we account for such information wave function. We use two stochastic differential equations, one of which relates to Nelson's hypothesis of Universal Brownian motion. We also provide for two examples which further highlight the proposed theory.     

A Semiclassical Theory of a Dissipative Henon—Heiles System

A semiclassical theory of a dissipative Henon—Heiles system is proposed. Based on -scaling of an equation for the evolution of the Wigner quasiprobability distribution function in the presence of dissipation and thermal diffusion, we derive a semiclassical equation for quantum fluctuations, governed by the dissipation and the curvature of the classical potential. We show how the initial quantum noise gets amplified by classical chaotic diffusion, which is expressible in terms of a correlation of stochastic fluctuations of the curvature of the potential due to classical chaos, and ultimately settles down to equilibrium under the influence of dissipation. We also establish that there exists a critical limit to the expansion of phase space. The limit is set by chaotic diffusion and dissipation. Our semiclassical analysis is corroborated by numerical simulation of a quantum operator master equation.     

Brownian motion of a classical particle in quantum environment

The Klein–Kramers equation, governing the Brownian motion of a classical particle in a quantum environment under the action of an arbitrary external potential, is derived. Quantum temperature and friction operators are introduced and at large friction the corresponding Smoluchowski equation is obtained. Introducing the Bohm quantum potential, this Smoluchowski equation is extended to describe the Brownian motion of a quantum particle in quantum environment.     

Relativistic and Non-Relativistic Quantum Brownian Motion in an Anisotropic Dissipative Medium

Using a minimal-coupling-scheme we investigate the quantum Brownian motion of a particle in an anisotropic-dissipative-medium under the influence of an arbitrary potential in both relativistic and non-relativistic regimes. A general quantum Langevin equation is derived and explicit expressions for quantum-noise and dynamical variables of the system are obtained. The equations of motion for the canonical variables are solved explicitly and an expression for the radiation-reaction of a charged particle in the presence of a dissipative-medium is obtained. Some examples are given to elucidate the applicability of this approach.     

Application of the method of semiclassical representation to quantum scattering theory

It is shown how the method of semiclassical representation [1] can be used to considerably simplify problems in the quantum theory of scattering. In a study of “feedback” — a mutual change in the quantum state and center-of-mass trajectory — the method enables one to separate variables: to consider the Schrödinger equation for the quantum state when the classical motion of the centers of mass is given, and to write a potential for the classial problem that does not depend on the quantum indices.     

Cosmological perturbations and quantum fields in curved space

We identify the quantum theory of cosmological perturbations with the quantum field theory in curved spacetime with emphasis on its field concept. We materialize this idea by using a coherent state as a quantum analogue of a nontrivial classical field configuration. We present analytic results in a de Sitter universe for the massless and massive minimal free scalar fields. Some new features on the spectrum of perturbations are obtained for the massive case. We also show how such quantum field theories can be derived from quantum gravity using the semiclassical approximation. A physical degree of freedom is picked up from three scalar perturbations in the quantum gravity scalar system and its Schrödinger equation is derived. Peculiar features of quantum fields at imaginary time and its possible implications on boundary conditions for the wave function of the universe are also discussed.     

A Kinetic Theory Approach to Quantum Gravity

We describe a kinetic theory approach to quantum gravity by which we mean a theory of the microscopic structure of space-time, not a theory obtained by quantizing general relativity. A figurative conception of this program is like building a ladder with two knotty poles: quantum matter field on the right and space-time on the left. Each rung connecting the corresponding knots represents a distinct level of structure. The lowest rung is hydrodynamics and general relativity; the next rung is semiclassical gravity, with the expectation value of quantum fields acting as source in the semiclassical Einstein equation. We recall how ideas from the statistical mechanics of interacting quantum fields helped us identify the existence of noise in the matter field and its effect on metric fluctuations, leading to the establishment of the third rung: stochastic gravity, described by the Einstein–Langevin equation. Our pathway from stochastic to quantum gravity is via the correlation hierarchy of noise and induced metric fluctuations. Three essential tasks beckon: (1) deduce the correlations of metric fluctuations from correlation noise in the matter field; (2) reconstituting quantum coherence—this is the reverse of decoherence—from these correlation functions; and (3) use the Boltzmann–Langevin equations to identify distinct collective variables depicting recognizable metastable structures in the kinetic and hydrodynamic regimes of quantum matter fields and how they demand of their corresponding space-time counterparts. This will give us a hierarchy of generalized stochastic equations—call them the Boltzmann–Einstein hierarchy of quantum gravity—for each level of space-time structure, from the the macroscopic (general relativity) through the mesoscopic (stochastic gravity) to the microscopic (quantum gravity).     

Quantum mechanics of leptogenesis

Thermal leptogenesis is an attractive mechanism that explains in a simple way the matter-antimatter asymmetry of the universe. It is usually studied via the Boltzmann equations, which describes the time evolution of particle densities or distribution functions in a thermal bath. The Boltzmann equations are classical equations and suffer from basic conceptual problems and they lack to include many quantum phenomena. We show how to address leptogenesis systematically in a purely quantum way, by describing non-equilibrium excitations of a Majorana particle in the Kadanoff-Baym equations with significant emphasis on the initial and boundary conditions of the solutions. We apply our results to thermal leptogenesis, computing analytically the asymmetry generated, comparing it with the semiclassical Boltzmann approach. The non-locality of the Kadanoff-Baym equations shows how off-shell effects can have a huge impact on the generated asymmetry. The insertion of standard model decay widths to the particles excitations of the bath is also discussed. We explain how with a trivial insertion of these widths we regain locality on the processes.     

Electrostatic pair creation and recombination in quantum plasmas

The production of electron-positron pairs by electrostatic waves in quantum plasmas is investigated. In particular, a semiclassical governing set of equations for a self-consistent treatment of pair creation by the Schwinger mechanism in a quantum plasma is derived. This article was submitted by the authors in English.     

Stochastic electrodynamics. III. Statistics of the perturbed harmonic oscillator-zero-point field system

In this third paper in a series on stochastic electrodynamics (SED), the nonrelativistic dipole approximation harmonic oscillator-zero-point field system is subjected to an arbitrary classical electromagnetic radiation field. The ensemble-averaged phase-space distribution and the two independent ensemble-averaged Liouville or Fokker-Planck equations that it satisfies are derived in closed form without furtner approximation. One of these Liouville equations is shown to be exactly equivalent to the usual Schrödinger equation supplemented by small radiative corrections and an explicit radiation reaction (RR) vector potential that is similar to the Crisp-Jaynes semiclassical theory (SCT) RR potential. The wave function in this SED Schrödinger equation is shown to have thea priori significance of position probability amplitude. The other Liouville equation has no counterpart in ordinary quantum mechanics, and is shown to restrict initial conditions such that (i) The Wigner-type phase-space distribution is always positive, (ii) in the absence of an applied field, the only allowed solution of both equations is the quantum ground state, and (iii) if a previously applied field is suddenly turned off, then spontaneous transitions occur, with no need for a triggering perturbation as in SCT, until the system is in the ground state. It is also shown that the oscillator energy is a fluctuating quantity that must take on a continuum of values, with average value equal to the quantum ground-state energy plus a contribution due to the applied classical field.