Kinematic Effect of Indistinguishability and Its Application to Open Quantum Systems

In quantum mechanics, useful experiments require multiple measurements performed on the identically prepared physical objects composing experimental ensembles. Experimental systems also suffer from environmental interference, and one should not assume that all objects in the experimental ensemble suffer interference identically from a single, uncontrolled environment. Here we present a framework for treating multiple quantum environments and fluctuations affecting only subsets of the experimental ensemble. We also discuss a kinematic effect of indistinguishability not applicable to closed systems. As an application, we treat inefficient photon scattering as an open system. We also create a toy model for the environmental interference suffered by systems undergoing Rabi oscillations, and we find that this kinematic effect may explain the puzzling Excitation Induced Dephasing generally measured in experiments.