A Top-Down Account of Linear Canonical Transforms

We contend that what are called Linear Canonical Transforms (LCTs) should be seen as a part of the theory of unitary irreducible representations of the '2+1' Lorentz group. The integral kernel representation found by Collins, Moshinsky and Quesne, and the radial and hyperbolic LCTs introduced thereafter, belong to the discrete and continuous representation series of the Lorentz group in its parabolic subgroup reduction. The reduction by the elliptic and hyperbolic subgroups can also be considered to yield LCTs that act on functions, discrete or continuous in other Hilbert spaces. We gather the summation and integration kernels reported by Basu and Wolf when studiying all discrete, continuous, and mixed representations of the linear group of $2\times 2$ real matrices. We add some comments on why all should be considered canonical

The Fourier U(2) Group and Separation of Discrete Variables

The linear canonical transformations of geometric optics on two-dimensional screens form the group $Sp(4,R)$, whose maximal compact subgroup is the Fourier group $U(2)_F$; this includes isotropic and anisotropic Fourier transforms, screen rotations and gyrations in the phase space of ray positions and optical momenta. Deforming classical optics into a Hamiltonian system whose positions and momenta range over a finite set of values, leads us to the finite oscillator model, which is ruled by the Lie algebra $so(4)$. Two distinct subalgebra chains are used to model arrays of $N^2$ points placed along Cartesian or polar (radius and angle) coordinates, thus realizing one case of separation in two discrete coordinates. The $N^2$-vectors in this space are digital (pixellated) images on either of these two grids, related by a unitary transformation. Here we examine the unitary action of the analogue Fourier group on such images, whose rotations are particularly visible

Second International Workshop on Harmonic Oscillators

The Second International Workshop on Harmonic Oscillators was held at the Hotel Hacienda Cocoyoc from March 23 to 25, 1994. The Workshop gathered 67 participants; there were 10 invited lecturers, 30 plenary oral presentations, 15 posters, and plenty of discussion divided into the five sessions of this volume. The Organizing Committee was asked by the chairman of several Mexican funding agencies what exactly was meant by harmonic oscillators, and for what purpose the new research could be useful. Harmonic oscillators - as we explained - is a code name for a family of mathematical models based on the theory of Lie algebras and groups, with applications in a growing range of physical theories and technologies: molecular, atomic, nuclear and particle physics; quantum optics and communication theory