157 research outputs found

    Gauge Transformations in Quantum Mechanics and the Unification of Nonlinear Schr\"odinger Equations

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    Beginning with ordinary quantum mechanics for spinless particles, together with the hypothesis that all experimental measurements consist of positional measurements at different times, we characterize directly a class of nonlinear quantum theories physically equivalent to linear quantum mechanics through nonlinear gauge transformations. We show that under two physically-motivated assumptions, these transformations are uniquely determined: they are exactly the group of time-dependent, nonlinear gauge transformations introduced previously for a family of nonlinear Schr\"odinger equations. The general equation in this family, including terms considered by Kostin, by Bialynicki-Birula and Mycielski, and by Doebner and Goldin, with time-dependent coefficients, can be obtained from the linear Schr\"odinger equation through gauge transformation and a subsequent process we call gauge generalization. We thus unify, on fundamental grounds, a rather diverse set of nonlinear time-evolutions in quantum mechanics.Comment: RevTeX, 20 pages, no figures. also available on http://www.pt.tu-clausthal.de/preprints/asi-tpa/021-96.htm

    On Global and Nonlinear Symmetries in Quantum Mechanics

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    (3) and furthermore nonlinear Schroedinger equations with given potentials which were also derived in another context in [1, 2]

    The stationary KdV hierarchy and so(2,1) as a spectrum generating algebra

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    The family F of all potentials V(x) for which the Hamiltonian H in one space dimension possesses a high order Lie symmetry is determined. A sub-family F', which contains a class of potentials allowing a realization of so(2,1) as spectrum generating algebra of H through differential operators of finite order, is identified. Furthermore and surprisingly, the families F and F' are shown to be related to the stationary KdV hierarchy. Hence, the "harmless" Hamiltonian H connects different mathematical objects, high order Lie symmetry, realization of so(2,1)-spectrum generating algebra and families of nonlinear differential equations. We describe in a physical context the interplay between these objects.Comment: 15 pages, LaTe
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