The Hamiltonian H=xp and classification of osp(1|2) representations

The quantization of the simple one-dimensional Hamiltonian H=xp is of interest for its mathematical properties rather than for its physical relevance. In fact, the Berry-Keating conjecture speculates that a proper quantization of H=xp could yield a relation with the Riemann hypothesis. Motivated by this, we study the so-called Wigner quantization of H=xp, which relates the problem to representations of the Lie superalgebra osp(1|2). In order to know how the relevant operators act in representation spaces of osp(1|2), we study all unitary, irreducible star representations of this Lie superalgebra. Such a classification has already been made by J.W.B. Hughes, but we reexamine this classification using elementary arguments.Comment: Contribution for the Workshop Lie Theory and Its Applications in Physics VIII (Varna, 2009

Wigner quantization of some one-dimensional Hamiltonians

Recently, several papers have been dedicated to the Wigner quantization of different Hamiltonians. In these examples, many interesting mathematical and physical properties have been shown. Among those we have the ubiquitous relation with Lie superalgebras and their representations. In this paper, we study two one-dimensional Hamiltonians for which the Wigner quantization is related with the orthosymplectic Lie superalgebra osp(1|2). One of them, the Hamiltonian H = xp, is popular due to its connection with the Riemann zeros, discovered by Berry and Keating on the one hand and Connes on the other. The Hamiltonian of the free particle, H_f = p^2/2, is the second Hamiltonian we will examine. Wigner quantization introduces an extra representation parameter for both of these Hamiltonians. Canonical quantization is recovered by restricting to a specific representation of the Lie superalgebra osp(1|2)

Quantum state transfer in spin chains with q-deformed interaction terms

We study the time evolution of a single spin excitation state in certain linear spin chains, as a model for quantum communication. Some years ago it was discovered that when the spin chain data (the nearest neighbour interaction strengths and the magnetic field strengths) are related to the Jacobi matrix entries of Krawtchouk polynomials or dual Hahn polynomials, so-called perfect state transfer takes place. The extension of these ideas to other types of discrete orthogonal polynomials did not lead to new models with perfect state transfer, but did allow more insight in the general computation of the correlation function. In the present paper, we extend the study to discrete orthogonal polynomials of q-hypergeometric type. A remarkable result is a new analytic model where perfect state transfer is achieved: this is when the spin chain data are related to the Jacobi matrix of q-Krawtchouk polynomials. The other cases studied here (affine q-Krawtchouk polynomials, quantum q-Krawtchouk polynomials, dual q-Krawtchouk polynomials, q-Hahn polynomials, dual q-Hahn polynomials and q-Racah polynomials) do not give rise to models with perfect state transfer. However, the computation of the correlation function itself is quite interesting, leading to advanced q-series manipulations

Wigner Quantization of Hamiltonians Describing Harmonic Oscillators Coupled by a General Interaction Matri

In a system of coupled harmonic oscillators, the interaction can be represented by a real, symmetric and positive definite interaction matrix. The quantization of a Hamiltonian describing such a system has been done in the canonical case. In this paper, we take a more general approach and look at the system as a Wigner quantum system. Hereby, one does not assume the canonical commutation relations, but instead one just requires the compatibility between the Hamilton and Heisenberg equations. Solutions of this problem are related to the Lie superalgebras gl(1|n) and osp(1|2n). We determine the spectrum of the considered Hamiltonian in specific representations of these Lie superalgebras and discuss the results in detail. We also make the connection with the well-known canonical case

Angular momentum decomposition of the three-dimensional Wigner harmonic oscillator

In the Wigner framework, one abandons the assumption that the usual canonical commutation relations are necessarily valid. Instead, the compatibility of Hamilton's equations and the Heisenberg equations are the starting point, and no further assumptions are made about how the position and momentum operators commute. Wigner quantization leads to new classes of solutions, and representations of Lie superalgebras are needed to describe them. For the n-dimensional Wigner harmonic oscillator, solutions are known in terms of the Lie superalgebras osp(1|2n) and gl(1|n). For n=3N, the question arises as to how the angular momentum decomposition of representations of these Lie superalgebras is computed. We construct generating functions for the angular momentum decomposition of specific series of representations of osp(1|6N) and gl(1|3N), with N=1 and N=2. This problem can be completely solved for N=1. However, for N=2 only some classes of representations allow executable computation

The Berry-Keating Hamiltonian and the Local Riemann Hypothesis

The local Riemann hypothesis states that the zeros of the Mellin transform of a harmonic-oscillator eigenfunction (on a real or p-adic configuration space) have real part 1/2. For the real case, we show that the imaginary parts of these zeros are the eigenvalues of the Berry-Keating hamiltonian H=(xp+px)/2 projected onto the subspace of oscillator eigenfunctions of lower level. This gives a spectral proof of the local Riemann hypothesis for the reals, in the spirit of the Hilbert-Polya conjecture. The p-adic case is also discussed.Comment: 9 pages, no figures; v2 included more mathematical background, v3 has minor edits for clarit

Analytically solvable Hamiltonians for quantum systems with a nearest neighbour interaction

We consider quantum systems consisting of a linear chain of n harmonic oscillators coupled by a nearest neighbour interaction of the form $-q_r q_{r+1}$ ($q_r$ refers to the position of the $r$th oscillator). In principle, such systems are always numerically solvable and involve the eigenvalues of the interaction matrix. In this paper, we investigate when such a system is analytically solvable, i.e. when the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of the interaction matrix have analytically closed expressions. This is the case when the interaction matrix coincides with the Jacobi matrix of a system of discrete orthogonal polynomials. Our study of possible systems leads to three new analytically solvable Hamiltonians: with a Krawtchouk interaction, a Hahn interaction or a q-Krawtchouk interaction. For each of these cases, we give the spectrum of the Hamiltonian (in analytic form) and discuss some typical properties of the spectra

General covariant xp models and the Riemann zeros

We study a general class of models whose classical Hamiltonians are given by H = U(x) p + V(x)/p, where x and p are the position and momentum of a particle moving in one dimension, and U and V are positive functions. This class includes the Hamiltonians H_I =x (p+1/p) and H_II=(x+ 1/x)(p+ 1/p), which have been recently discussed in connection with the non trivial zeros of the Riemann zeta function. We show that all these models are covariant under general coordinate transformations. This remarkable property becomes explicit in the Lagrangian formulation which describes a relativistic particle moving in a 1+1 dimensional spacetime whose metric is constructed from the functions U and V. General covariance is maintained by quantization and we find that the spectra are closely related to the geometry of the associated spacetimes. In particular, the Hamiltonian H_I corresponds to a flat spacetime, whereas its spectrum approaches the Riemann zeros in average. The latter property also holds for the model H_II, whose underlying spacetime is asymptotically flat. These results suggest the existence of a Hamiltonian whose underlying spacetime encodes the prime numbers, and whose spectrum provides the Riemann zeros.Comment: 34 pages, 3 figure