title: Quantum-classical transition in nonlinear dynamical systems.
abstract: Viewed as approximations to quantum mechanics, classical evolutions can violate the positive semidefiniteness of the density matrix. The nature of the violation suggests a classification of dynamical systems based on classical-quantum correspondence; we show that this can be used to identify when environmental interaction (decoherence) will be unsuccessful in inducing the quantum-classical transition. In particular, the late-time Wigner function can become positive without any corresponding approach to classical dynamics. In the light of these results, we emphasize key issues relevant for experiments studying the quantum-classical transition.
authors.affiliation: T-8, Theoretical Division, MS B285, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545, USA.
authors.forename: Salman
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Habib
authors.forename: Kurt
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jacobs
authors.forename: Hideo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mabuchi
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ryne
authors.forename: Kosuke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Shizume
authors.forename: Bala
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sundaram