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Classicality with(out) decoherence: Concepts, relation to Markovianity, and a random matrix theory approach

by Philipp Strasberg

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Submission summary

Authors (as registered SciPost users): Philipp Strasberg
Submission information
Preprint Link: https://arxiv.org/abs/2301.02563v2  (pdf)
Date accepted: May 22, 2023
Date submitted: April 3, 2023, 8:39 a.m.
Submitted by: Philipp Strasberg
Submitted to: SciPost Physics
Ontological classification
Academic field: Physics
Specialties:
  • Condensed Matter Physics - Theory
  • Quantum Physics
  • Statistical and Soft Matter Physics
Approach: Theoretical

Abstract

Answers to the question how a classical world emerges from underlying quantum physics are revisited, connected and extended as follows. First, three distinct concepts are compared: decoherence in open quantum systems, consistent/decoherent histories and Kolmogorov consistency. Second, the crucial role of quantum Markovianity (defined rigorously) to connect these concepts is established. Third, using a random matrix theory model, quantum effects are shown to be exponentially suppressed in the measurement statistics of slow and coarse observables despite the presence of large amount of coherences. This is also numerically exemplified, and it highlights the potential and importance of non-integrability and chaos for the emergence of classicality.

List of changes

I followed all the helpful recommendations of Referee 1 (except point 7), and I further included some minor modifications and some additional references due to private correspondences with colleagues. Since the modifications are minor reformulations, and none impacts the validity of the core scientific statements in the manuscript, I refrain from listing them here in detail.

Published as SciPost Phys. 15, 024 (2023)

Reports on this Submission

Report #2 by Anonymous (Referee 2) on 2023-4-7 (Invited Report)

  • Cite as: Anonymous, Report on arXiv:2301.02563v2, delivered 2023-04-07, doi: 10.21468/SciPost.Report.7020

Report

This paper develops the formalism of decoherent histories in an interesting and careful manner, emphasizing the emergence of probabilities that satisfy the Kolmogorov consistency conditions as the key to classical behavior, with "classical" defined as meaning that the effects of quantum interference are negligibly small. Numerics with a simple random-matrix model serve to demonstrate the abstract results.
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Report #1 by Anonymous (Referee 1) on 2023-4-5 (Invited Report)

Report

The author has addressed almost all the changes I suggested. It would have been helpful for the author to set out the changes made so that I didn't have to try to find them in the ms. However, I recommend acceptance.
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