English

Three alternative model-building strategies using quasi-Hermitian time-dependent observables

Quantum Physics 2023-08-21 v1 Mathematical Physics math.MP

Abstract

A (K+1)(K+1)-plet of non-Hermitian and time-dependent operators (say, Λj(t)\Lambda_j(t), j=0,1,,Kj=0,1,\ldots,K) can be interpreted as the set of observables characterizing a unitary quantum system. What is required is the existence of a self-adjoint and, in general, time-dependent operator (say, Θ(t)\Theta(t) called inner product metric) making the operators quasi-Hermitian, Λj(t)Θ(t)=Θ(t)Λj(t)\Lambda_j^\dagger(t)\Theta(t)=\Theta(t)\Lambda_j(t). The theory (called non-Hermitian interaction-picture, NIP) requires a separate description of the evolution of the states ψ(t)\psi(t) (realized, via Schr\"{o}dinger-type equation, by a generator, say, G(t)G(t)) and of the observables themselves (a different generator (say, Σ(t)(t)\Sigma(t)(t)) occurs in the related non-Hermitian Heisenberg-type equation). Every Λj(t)\Lambda_j(t) (and, in particular, Hamiltonian H(t)=Λ0(t)H(t)=\Lambda_0(t)) appears isospectral to its hypothetical isospectral and self-adjoint (but, by assumption, prohibitively user-unfriendly) avatar λj(t)=Ω(t)Λj(t)Ω1(t)\lambda_j(t)=\Omega(t)\Lambda_j(t)\Omega^{-1}(t) with Ω(t)Ω(t)=Θ(t)\Omega^\dagger(t)\Omega(t)=\Theta(t). In our paper the key role played by identity H(t)=G(t)+Σ(t)H(t)=G(t)+\Sigma(t) is shown to imply that there exist just three alternative meaningful implementations of the NIP approach, viz., ``number one'' (a ``dynamical'' strategy based on the knowledge of H(t)H(t)), ``number two'' (a ``kinematical'' one, based on the Coriolis force Σ(t)\Sigma(t)) and ``number three'' (in the literature, such a construction based on G(t)G(t) is most popular but, paradoxically, it is also most complicated).

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2308.07609,
  title  = {Three alternative model-building strategies using quasi-Hermitian time-dependent observables},
  author = {Miloslav Znojil},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2308.07609},
  year   = {2023}
}

Comments

18 pp

R2 v1 2026-06-28T11:55:49.731Z