TY - JOUR
T1 - Consistent classical and quantum mixed dynamics
AU - Hall, Michael J.W.
PY - 2008/10/8
Y1 - 2008/10/8
N2 - A recent proposal for mixed dynamics of classical and quantum ensembles is shown, in contrast to other proposals, to satisfy the minimal algebraic requirements proposed by Salcedo for any consistent formulation of such dynamics. Generalized Ehrenfest relations for the expectation values of classical and quantum observables are also obtained. It is further shown that additional desirable requirements, related to separability, may be satisfied under the assumption that only the configuration of the classical component is directly accessible to measurement, e.g., via a classical pointer. Although the mixed dynamics is formulated in terms of ensembles on configuration space, thermodynamic mixtures of such ensembles may be defined which are equivalent to canonical phase-space ensembles on the classical sector. Hence, the formulation appears to be both consistent and physically complete.
AB - A recent proposal for mixed dynamics of classical and quantum ensembles is shown, in contrast to other proposals, to satisfy the minimal algebraic requirements proposed by Salcedo for any consistent formulation of such dynamics. Generalized Ehrenfest relations for the expectation values of classical and quantum observables are also obtained. It is further shown that additional desirable requirements, related to separability, may be satisfied under the assumption that only the configuration of the classical component is directly accessible to measurement, e.g., via a classical pointer. Although the mixed dynamics is formulated in terms of ensembles on configuration space, thermodynamic mixtures of such ensembles may be defined which are equivalent to canonical phase-space ensembles on the classical sector. Hence, the formulation appears to be both consistent and physically complete.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=54049119696&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1103/PhysRevA.78.042104
DO - 10.1103/PhysRevA.78.042104
M3 - Article
SN - 1050-2947
VL - 78
JO - Physical Review A - Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics
JF - Physical Review A - Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics
IS - 4
M1 - 042104
ER -