Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Abstract: We consider a closed macroscopic quantum system in a pure state $ψ$ evolving unitarily with Hamiltonian $H$ in a finite-dimensional Hilbert space $\mathscr{H}$. Following von Neumann, we assume a decomposition of $\mathscr{H}$ into mutually orthogonal subspaces $\mathscr{H}_ν$, where each $ν$ represents a macro state, and $\mathscr{H}_ν$ contains the pure states compatible with $ν$. We define the quantum Boltzmann entropy for a macro state $ν$ as $S_\mathrm{qB}(ν) = k_{\mathrm{B}} \log \dim \mathscr{H}_ν$, where $k_\mathrm{B}$ is the Boltzmann constant. Goldstein et al. [http://arxiv.org/abs/1903.11870] have suggested, as a version of the second law of thermodynamics, that $S_\mathrm{qB}$ predominantly increases with time for realistic macroscopic systems. Here, we discuss precise versions of this statement and confirm them for several simple models of $H$ and $\mathscr{H}_ν$.
Source: arXiv (Cornell University)
Authors: Igelspacher, Cedric, Tumulka, Roderich
Institution: University of Tübingen
Language: English
Topic: Quantum many-body systems
Subfield: Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7221769085