48 research outputs found
Positive contraction mappings for classical and quantum Schrodinger systems
The classical Schrodinger bridge seeks the most likely probability law for a
diffusion process, in path space, that matches marginals at two end points in
time; the likelihood is quantified by the relative entropy between the sought
law and a prior, and the law dictates a controlled path that abides by the
specified marginals. Schrodinger proved that the optimal steering of the
density between the two end points is effected by a multiplicative functional
transformation of the prior; this transformation represents an automorphism on
the space of probability measures and has since been studied by Fortet,
Beurling and others. A similar question can be raised for processes evolving in
a discrete time and space as well as for processes defined over non-commutative
probability spaces. The present paper builds on earlier work by Pavon and
Ticozzi and begins with the problem of steering a Markov chain between given
marginals. Our approach is based on the Hilbert metric and leads to an
alternative proof which, however, is constructive. More specifically, we show
that the solution to the Schrodinger bridge is provided by the fixed point of a
contractive map. We approach in a similar manner the steering of a quantum
system across a quantum channel. We are able to establish existence of quantum
transitions that are multiplicative functional transformations of a given Kraus
map, but only for the case of uniform marginals. As in the Markov chain case,
and for uniform density matrices, the solution of the quantum bridge can be
constructed from the fixed point of a certain contractive map. For arbitrary
marginal densities, extensive numerical simulations indicate that iteration of
a similar map leads to fixed points from which we can construct a quantum
bridge. For this general case, however, a proof of convergence remains elusive.Comment: 27 page
Extremal flows in Wasserstein space
We develop an intrinsic geometric approach to the calculus of variations in theWasserstein
space. We show that the flows associated with the Schr\ua8odinger bridge with
general prior, with optimal mass transport, and with the Madelung fluid can all be
characterized as annihilating the first variation of a suitable action. We then discuss
the implications of this unified framework for stochastic mechanics: It entails, in particular,
a sort of fluid-dynamic reconciliation between Bohm\u2019s and Nelson\u2019s stochastic
mechanics
Typical support and Sanov large deviations of correlated states
Discrete stationary classical processes as well as quantum lattice states are
asymptotically confined to their respective typical support, the exponential
growth rate of which is given by the (maximal ergodic) entropy. In the iid case
the distinguishability of typical supports can be asymptotically specified by
means of the relative entropy, according to Sanov's theorem. We give an
extension to the correlated case, referring to the newly introduced class of
HP-states.Comment: 29 pages, no figures, references adde
No-Boundary Theta-Sectors in Spatially Flat Quantum Cosmology
Gravitational theta-sectors are investigated in spatially locally homogeneous
cosmological models with flat closed spatial surfaces in 2+1 and 3+1 spacetime
dimensions. The metric ansatz is kept in its most general form compatible with
Hamiltonian minisuperspace dynamics. Nontrivial theta-sectors admitting a
semiclassical no-boundary wave function are shown to exist only in 3+1
dimensions, and there only for two spatial topologies. In both cases the
spatial surface is nonorientable and the nontrivial no-boundary theta-sector
unique. In 2+1 dimensions the nonexistence of nontrivial no-boundary
theta-sectors is shown to be of topological origin and thus to transcend both
the semiclassical approximation and the minisuperspace ansatz. Relation to the
necessary condition given by Hartle and Witt for the existence of no-boundary
theta-states is discussed.Comment: 30 p