Semiclassical evolution of Gaussian wavepackets

Raul Oscar Vallejos

Centro Brasileiro de Pesquisas Fisicas, Theoretical Physics, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

We analyze the semiclassical evolution of Gaussian wavepackets in chaotic systems. We show that after some short time a Gaussian wavepacket becomes a primitive WKB state. From then on, the state can be propagated using the standard TDWKB scheme. Complex trajectories are not necessary to account for the long-time propagation. The Wigner function of the evolving state develops the structure of a classical filament plus quantum oscillations, with phase and amplitude being determined by geometric properties of a classical manifold.

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