Decoherence, chaos, the quantum and the classical

Conference · Fri Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1994

OSTI ID:10139311

Zurek, W H; Paz, J P

The key ideas of the environment-induced decoherence approach are reviewed. Application of decoherence to the transition from quantum to classical in open quantum systems with chaotic classical analogs is described. The arrow of time is, in this context, a result of the information loss to the correlations with the environment. The asymptotic rate of entropy production (which is reached quickly, on the dynamical timescale) is independent of the details of the coupling of the quantum system to the environment, and is set by the Lyapunov exponents. We also briefly outline the existential interpretation of quantum mechanics, justifying the slogan ``No information without representation.``

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 10139311
• Report Number(s): LA-UR-94-1154; CONF-9306255-2; ON: DE94009317
• Resource Relation: Conference: 1993 symposium on the foundations of modern physics,Cologne (Germany),1-6 Jun 1993; Other Information: PBD: [1994]
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
RANDOMNESS
QUANTUM MECHANICS
LYAPUNOV METHOD
BROWNIAN MOVEMENT
ENTROPY
FOKKER-PLANCK EQUATION
661100
661300
CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
OTHER ASPECTS OF PHYSICAL SCIENCE