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Moyal quantum mechanics: The semiclassical Heisenberg dynamics

Journal Article · · Annals of Physics (New York)
;  [1]
  1. Department of Physics, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, R3T 2N2 (Canada)
The Moyal description of quantum mechanics, based on the Wigner--Weyl isomorphism between operators and symbols, provides a comprehensive phase space representation of dynamics. The Weyl symbol image of the Heisenberg picture evolution operator is regular in {h_bar} and so presents a preferred foundation for semiclassical analysis. Its semiclassical expansion ``coefficients,`` acting on symbols that represent observables, are simple, globally defined (phase space) differential operators constructed in terms of the classical flow. The first of two presented methods introduces a cluster-graph expansion for the symbol of an exponentiated operator, which extends Groenewold`s formula for the Weyl product of two symbols and has {h_bar} as its natural small parameter. This Poisson bracket based cluster expansion determines the Jacobi equations for the semiclassical expansion of ``quantum trajectories.`` Their Green function solutions construct the regular {h_bar}{down_arrow}0 asymptotic series for the Heisenberg--Weyl evolution map. The second method directly substitutes such a series into the Moyal equation of motion and determines the {h_bar} coefficients recursively. In contrast to the WKB approximation for propagators, the Heisenberg--Weyl description of evolution involves no essential singularity in {h_bar}, no Hamilton--Jacobi equation to solve for the action, and no multiple trajectories, caustics, or Maslov indices. {copyright} 1995 Academic Press, Inc.
OSTI ID:
165576
Journal Information:
Annals of Physics (New York), Journal Name: Annals of Physics (New York) Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 241; ISSN 0003-4916; ISSN APNYA6
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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