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Ehrenfest's theorem beyond the Ehrenfest time

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abstract

In closed quantum systems, wavepackets can spread exponentially in time due to chaos, forming long-range superpositions in just seconds for ordinary macroscopic systems. A weakly coupled environment is conjectured to decohere the system and restore the quantum-classical correspondence while necessarily introducing diffusive noise -- but at what coupling strength, and under which conditions? For Markovian open systems with Hamiltonians of the form $H = p^2/2m+V(x)$ and Hermitian linear Lindblad operators, we prove the quantum and classical evolutions are close whenever the strength of the environment-induced diffusion satisfies $D \gg (\hbar/s_H)^{4/3} D_H$, where $s_H$ and $D_H$ are characteristic action and diffusion scales that we define precisely using the classical Hamiltonian $H$. The bound applies for all observables and for times exponentially longer than the Ehrenfest timescale, which is when the correspondence can break down in closed systems. The strength of the diffusive noise can vanish in the classical limit to give the appearance of reversible dynamics. The $4/3$ exponent may be optimal, suggested by heuristic arguments and prior numerical evidence. Based on our bound, we give an efficient classical algorithm for simulating quantum Lindblad dynamics, which becomes provably accurate when the strength of environmental coupling exceeds the above threshold.

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representative citing papers

Wavefunction branches demand a definition!

quant-ph · 2025-06-18 · accept · novelty 4.0

A perspective comparing two quantum-complexity definitions of wavefunction branches, finding neither satisfactory and identifying the open problems that remain.

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  • Wavefunction branches demand a definition! quant-ph · 2025-06-18 · accept · none · ref 13 · internal anchor

    A perspective comparing two quantum-complexity definitions of wavefunction branches, finding neither satisfactory and identifying the open problems that remain.