Why quantum dynamics can be formulated as a Markov process

Piotr Garbaczewski and Robert Olkiewicz
Phys. Rev. A 51, 3445 – Published 1 May 1995
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Abstract

We invert the well-developed strategy of studying dynamics in terms of probability densities and investigate the problem of the most likely microscopic propagation scenario, which is consistent with the given priori (possibly phenomenological) input-output statistics data for the process taking place in a finite-time interval. A solution of this so-called Schrödinger problem is known to provide an adequate probabilistic framework for the measure preserving dynamics which is Markovian. We pay particular attention to the subclass of nonstationary solutions, determined by unitary-wave-packet evolution (Schrödinger wave mechanics). The existence of the pertinent Markovian diffusion is known on general grounds, but no explicit demonstration (through detailed computational arguments) until now was available even in the simplest cases. We give a definitive probabilistic description of the free quantum dynamics as a stochastic process solving Schrödinger’s interpolation problem. The Markov diffusion arised as a particular case singled out by a suitable Feynman-Kac semigroup.

  • Received 27 June 1994

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.51.3445

©1995 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Piotr Garbaczewski and Robert Olkiewicz

  • Institute of Theoretical Physics, University of Wrocl/aw, PL-50 204 Wrocl/aw, Poland

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Vol. 51, Iss. 5 — May 1995

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