Thermalization in isolated quantum many-body systems: modeling the initial conditions

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Peter Reimann
• Subject Area: Statistical Physics, Nonlinear Dynamics, Complex Systems, Soft and Fluid Matter, Biological Physics
• Term: since 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 502254252

The main focus of the project is on the issue of thermalization in quantum systems with many degrees of freedom, that is, on the questions: Under which conditions and in which sense can such systems be described by a microcanonical ensemble after the initial transients have died out? Within this general context, our objective is to better understand the role of the initial conditions by means of analytical methods. Specifically, we will explore whether some particularly natural or previously well-established classes of initial conditions obey some basic properties, whose validity is expected on fundamental physical grounds. A complementary goal is to model the experimental preparation process itself, and then to further analyze the temporal evolution of the so obtained initial conditions under the subsequent dynamics of actual interest.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants