Chaos in a Model of an Open Quantum System

The ability to transfer information securely is essential in the modern world we live in. While the field of cryptography has long researched ways to do this, events over the last couple of years have brought the issues of secure information transfer squarely into the public eye. As a consequence, security and cryptography have quickly become issues of social and political importance, sparking debates about the values of privacy and the role of government. An essential ingredient of modern cryptography is the generation of randomness: cryptographic techniques are built on the premise that one has access to random bits. It is well known, however, that computers cannot produce algorithmically random sequences – that is, sequences with maximal algorithmic information content – but are doomed to produce 'pseudorandomness'. This lack of randomness can be, and has been, exploited to compromise security, see [4]. The active field of quantum information theory has proposed approaches to provide supposedly 'unbreakable' security by exploiting various quantum phenomena. This security unfortunately relies on assumptions about the nature of quantum measurements and their ability to generate random bits. Anton Zeilinger summarises this by postulating that the simplest quantum systems, qubit, can hold only one bit of classical information [6]. This foundational principle is in line with a wider paradigm shift to view quantum information as an extension of classical information, but it is nonetheless unsatisfying to simply postulate this principle, given its importance in determining the practical advantages of quantum information theory. In order to understand better how quantum mechanics can help generate meaningful information, we instead look to relate the outcomes of quantum measurements to formal properties of the system based on more fundamental assumptions. Indeed, we have shown that a) some of the postulated properties of quantum information follow from the formal structure of the theory and b) a purely formal notion of information within a quantum world can generate, via measurement, meaningful and useful information in the macroscopic world (for example, in cryptography). The indeterminism of quantum measurements can be formalised via the notion of value indefiniteness. To explain this concept, let us consider an arbitrary quantum system and ask whether the outcome of a measurement of any observable quantity A (such as the energy of the system, its angular momentum (spin), etc.) is determined prior to the measurement. If this is the case, then we say the observable is value definite with value v(A); otherwise, the observable is value indefinite and v(A) is undefined. Mathematically, one can reduce all observable quantities to so-called projection observables, which can only take the values 0 or 1. Thus, the question of whether the outcome of several measurements can be simultaneously determined in advance can be rephrased in terms of the information 'carried' by a particular system in a definite quantum state. Classically, one expects that all quantities are determined in advance, and hence all observables are value definite. Quantum mechanically, however, the belief is that this is not the case, and the information content of quantum systems is limited. Formulating carefully the notion of value indefiniteness allows us to formalise the notion of (quantum) indeterminism; however, this doesn't help clarify whether quantum systems are indeed value indefinite or not. Staying in this formal framework, the Kochen-Specker theorem [5] provides a first positive result, showing that at least some observables must be value indefinite if one makes the assumption known as non-contextuality, which states that any definite values that exist must be independent of other compatible measurements that may or may not be performed on the system. Under the same assumption, this theorem can be strengthened to show that only one single observable can have the definite value 1 (see [2]). Furthermore, only observables that can be measured simultaneously with this single one can have the definite value 0; the rest must all be value indefinite. Since the preparation of a system involves precisely ensuring that, usually via measurement, the system is in a definite state with respect to some desired observable, this result shows that no other incompatible observable can be value definite. That is, preparing a system in a definite state by making the 'preparation' observable value definite specifies completely the information content of the quantum system. This is an example of syntactical quantum information acquiring meaning at the level of the quantum itself. Can the syntactical information at the level of the quantum generate meaning outside the quantum, that is, at the macroscopic level? The results cited above hold in the Hilbert-space framework of quantum mechanics and are formulated only in terms of a syntactical notion of information. Their real importance becomes evident when one interprets them in the context of quantum measurements. Specifically, if we prepare a quantum system in a known state, they allow us to 'locate' observables which we can measure, but which are value indefinite; that is, observables whose measurement results are not specified by any pre-existing property of the quantum system. Furthermore, with respect to a mathematical model of unpredictability which we developed in [3], the results of these measurements can be shown to be absolutely unpredictable. In this way we get a mathematical explanation and justification of the largely accepted intuition that quantum mechanics is inherently unpredictable, and that this unpredictability arises from the phenomenon of indefiniteness within the quantum world. Furthermore, if one considers a hypothetical infinite sequence generated by the repeated measurement of a quantum value indefinite observable, one can prove that these sequences must be strongly incomputable, technically 'bi-immune' [1]. Such sequences cannot be generated by any Turing machine or classical computer, showing that value indefiniteness leads to a clear classical/quantum split in a purely algorithmic context. Importantly, bi-immunity is a property of observed, macroscopic quantities, quite separate from the quantum framework in which the value indefiniteness is formalised. This form of macroscopic meaning created from the lack of syntactic information is precisely the scenario that quantum random number generators try to create, and which is essential for the development and certification of quantum cryptographic systems. The fact that the macroscopic information created goes beyond anything classically obtainable serves as a valuable practical resource, outside of and removed from the quantum formalism. To conclude, quantum information creates meaning within the quantum and via measure- ment, the lack of information within the quantum, creates meaning and valuable information at the macroscopic level. Acknowledgments The second author thanks Prof. S. Marcus for useful conversations on quantum information theory. This work was supported in part by Marie Curie FP7-PEOPLE-2010-IRSES Grant RANPHYS. References and Notes Abbott, A.A.; Calude, C.S.; Svozil, K. Strong Kochen-Specker theorem and incomputability of quantum randomness. Physical Review A 2012, 86, 062109. Abbott, A.A.; Calude, C.S.; Svozil, K. Value-indefinite observables are almost everywhere. Physical Review A 2013, 89, 032109. Abbott, A.A.; Calude, C.S.; Svozil, K. On the unpredictability of individual quantum measurement outcomes. CDMTCS Research Report 2014, 458. Calude, C.S. Quantum randomness & cryptology. CyberTalk 2013, 3, 42–43. Kochen, S.; Specker, E. The problem of hidden variables in quantum mechanics. Journal of Mathematics and Mechanics 1967, 17, 59–87. Zeilinger, A. A foundational principle for quantum mechanics. Foundations of Physics 1999, 29(4),631–643.

Can Bohmian trajectories account for quantum recurrences having classical periodicities?

We define quantum chaos and integrability in open quantum many-body systems as a dynamical property of single stochastic realizations, referred to as quantum trajectories. This definition relies on the predictions of random matrix theory applied to the subset of the Liouvillian eigenspectrum involved in each quantum trajectory. Our approach, which we name (SSQT), enables a natural distinction between transient and steady-state quantum chaos as general phenomena in open setups. We test the generality and reliability of the SSQT criterion on several dissipative systems, further showing that an open system with a chaotic structure can evolve towards either a chaotic or integrable steady state. We apply our theoretical framework to two driven-dissipative bosonic systems. First, we study the driven-dissipative Bose-Hubbard model, a paradigmatic example of a quantum simulator, clarifying the interplay of integrability, transient, and steady-state chaos across its phase diagram. Our analysis shows the existence of an emergent dissipative quantum chaotic phase, whereas the classical and semiclassical limits display an integrable behavior. In this regime, chaos arises from the quantum and classical fluctuations associated with the dissipation mechanisms. Second, we investigate dissipative quantum chaos in the dispersive readout of a transmon qubit: a measurement technique ubiquitous in superconducting-based quantum hardware. Through the SSQT, we distinguish several regimes where the performance of the measurement instrument can be connected to the integrable or chaotic nature of the underlying driven-dissipative bosonic system. Our work offers a general understanding of the integrable and chaotic dynamics of open quantum systems and paves the way for the investigation of dissipative quantum chaos and its consequences on state-of-the-art noisy intermediate-scale quantum devices.

Quantum chaos and interference

Deflationists about truth embrace the positive thesis that the notion of truth is useful as a logical device, for such purposes as blanket endorsement, and the negative thesis that the notion doesn’t have any legitimate applications beyond its logical uses, so it cannot play a significant theoretical role in scientific inquiry or causal explanation. Focusing on Christopher Hill as exemplary deflationist, the present paper takes issue with the negative thesis, arguing that, without making use of the notion of truth conditions, we have little hope for a scientific understanding of human speech, thought, and action. For the reference relation, the situation is different. Inscrutability arguments give reason to think that a more-than-deflationary theory of reference is unattainable. With respect to reference, deflationism is the only game in town.

We review the methods and use of random quantum states with particular emphasis on recent theoretical developments and applications in various fields. The guiding principle of the review is the idea that random quantum states can be understood as classical probability distributions in the Hilbert space of the associated quantum system. We show how this central concept connects questions of physical interest that cover different fields such as quantum statistical physics, quantum chaos, mesoscopic systems of both non-interacting and interacting particles, including superconducting and spin–orbit phenomena, and stochastic Schrodinger equations describing open quantum systems.

The paper reports the investigations of the functional differential and differential models of system with acoustic feedback. The aim of the work is a for-mation, analysis and identification of linear and nonlinear functional differential models of echo, reverberation and acoustic feedback; the analysis of model sensitivity, the analysis of stability of telecommunication systems with the acoustic feedback. There is presented a mechanism of an acoustic feedback mechanism formation. 
 At the analysis of sound propagation in closed rooms with the use of the geometric acoustics method there is obtained a nucleus equation which is approximated by nonnegative functions taking into account a model of reverberation and a model of multiple reflections. The considered procedure of echo formation and reverberation is an element of the feedback model common for warning systems and technological communication. There is investigated a model of acoustic systems with delayed feedback. A diagram of the kernel of a functional differential equation describing a system with feedback is shown. 
 The models of systems with acoustic feedback presented in this work ensure the approximation to reality at that, an account of possibilities of the emergence in channels of non-linear distortion sound propagation are considered to be the next problem.

The statistical analysis of energy levels, a powerful tool in the study of quantum systems, is applicable to discrete spectra. Here we propose an approach to carry level statistics over to continuous energy spectra, paradoxical as this may sound at first. The approach proceeds in three steps, first a discretization of the spectrum by cutoffs, then a statistical analysis of the resulting discrete spectra, and finally a determination of the limit distributions as the cutoffs are removed. In this way the notions of Wigner and Poisson distributions for nearest-neighbor spacing (NNS), usually associated with quantum chaos and regularity, can be carried over to systems with a purely continuous energy spectrum. The approach is demonstrated for the hydrogen atom in perpendicular electric and magnetic fields. This system has a purely continuous energy spectrum from -\ensuremath{\infty} to \ensuremath{\infty}. Depending on the field parameters, we find for the NNS a Poisson or a Wigner distribution, or a transitional behavior. We also outline how to determine physically relevant resonances in our approach by a stabilization method.

Policy is a flexible mechanism to deal with complex coordination and management of organizational elements in an open system environment. A formal specification framework is proposed for such a kind of system called policy-governed institutional agency. The formal framework includes: an abstract architecture, a formal institutional model, and a formal specification language for this type of systems. The concrete syntax and semantics of the formal specification language are given. The core of the framework has been implemented in a prototype environment.

The idea of the out-of-time-order correlator (OTOC) has recently emerged in the study of both condensed matter systems and gravitational systems. It not only plays a key role in investigating the holographic duality between a strongly interacting quantum system and a gravitational system, it also diagnoses the chaotic behavior of many-body quantum systems and characterizes information scrambling. Based on OTOCs, three different concepts-quantum chaos, holographic duality, and information scrambling-are found to be intimately related to each other. Despite its theoretical importance, the experimental measurement of the OTOC is quite challenging, and thus far there is no experimental measurement of the OTOC for local operators. Here, we report the measurement of OTOCs of local operators for an Ising spin chain on a nuclear magnetic resonance quantum simulator. We observe that the OTOC behaves differently in the integrable and nonintegrable cases. Based on the recent discovered relationship between OTOCs and the growth of entanglement entropy in the many-body system, we extract the entanglement entropy from the measured OTOCs, which clearly shows that the information entropy oscillates in time for integrable models and scrambles for nonintgrable models. With the measured OTOCs, we also obtain the experimental result of the butterfly velocity, which measures the speed of correlation propagation. Our experiment paves a way for experimentally studying quantum chaos, holographic duality, and information scrambling in many-body quantum systems with quantum simulators.

Relaxation of few-body quantum systems can strongly depend on the initial state when the system's semiclassical phase space is mixed, i.e., regions of chaotic motion coexist with regular islands. In recent years, there has been much effort to understand the process of thermalization in strongly interacting quantum systems that often lack an obvious semiclassical limit. Time-dependent variational principle (TDVP) allows to systematically derive an effective classical (nonlinear) dynamical system by projecting unitary many-body dynamics onto a manifold of weakly-entangled variational states. We demonstrate that such dynamical systems generally possess mixed phase space. When TDVP errors are small, the mixed phase space leaves a footprint on the exact dynamics of the quantum model. For example, when the system is initialized in a state belonging to a stable periodic orbit or the surrounding regular region, it exhibits persistent many-body quantum revivals. As a proof of principle, we identify new types of "quantum many-body scars", i.e., initial states that lead to long-time oscillations in a model of interacting Rydberg atoms in one and two dimensions. Intriguingly, the initial states that give rise to most robust revivals are typically entangled states. On the other hand, even when TDVP errors are large, as in the thermalizing tilted-field Ising model, initializing the system in a regular region of phase space leads to slowdown of thermalization. Our work establishes TDVP as a method for identifying interacting quantum systems with anomalous dynamics in arbitrary dimensions. Moreover, the mixed-phase space classical variational equations allow to find slowly-thermalizing initial conditions in interacting models. Our results shed light on a link between classical and quantum chaos, pointing towards possible extensions of classical Kolmogorov-Arnold-Moser theorem to quantum systems.

In this paper we consider Markov analysis of models of complex software and hardware systems. A Markov analysis tool can be used during verification processes of models of avionics systems. In the introduction we enumerate main advantages and disadvantages of Markov analysis. For example, with Markov analysis, unlike other approaches, such as fault tree analysis and dependency diagram analysis, it is possible to analyze models of systems that are able to recovery. The main drawback of this approach is an exponential growth of models size with number of components in analyzed system. It makes Markov analysis barely used in practice. The other important problem is to develop a new algorithm for translating a model of a system to a model suitable for Markov analysis (Markov chain), since the existing solutions have significant limitations on the architecture of analyzed systems. Next we give a brief description of the context - AADL modeling language with Error Model Annex library, MASIW framework, and also give an explanation of Markov analysis method. In a main section we suggest an algorithm for translating a system model into a Markov chain, partially solving the problem of exponential growth of Markov chain. Then follows a description of further steps, and some heuristics that allow to extremely reduce running time of the algorithm. In this paper we also consider other Markov analysis tools and their features. As a result, we suggest a Markov analysis tool that can be effectively use in practice.

Nonlinear system identification has gained importance over the years as enhancement tool that can improve control design and performance significantly. This is particularly true for systems with non-linearity and unmodelled disturbances. This paper proposes an Auto-Generating Fuzzy System Modelling mechanism (AGFSM) with online tuning capability. The proposed mechanism offers a universal black-box modelling tool for any system, linear or nonlinear, regardless of any prior knowledge of the physical relationship inside the system or the system behaviour. The proposed mechanism comprises of two phases, a structure-generating phase and a parameter-learning phase. Structure generating phase is based on the entropy measure used to control the model accuracy. Parameter learning phase is based on supervised learning algorithms using the back propagation algorithm. The proposed AGFSM mechanism is used to develop the models of both linear and nonlinear systems using input-output data.

The National Health Service is being re-engineered. One of the components is that public health medicine needs to be delivered differently but effectively. It has been proposed that this should be done via managed public health networks (MPHNs). Underpinning this re-engineering there is an increasing role for ICT (information and communication technologies) and previous work suggests that most of the communication over the networks would be predominantly electronic. The development of MPHNs involves much complexity. This study aims to demonstrate the value of systems modelling when implementing and evaluating ICT in public health by applying it to their development. Our objectives are first to propose system models and methodologies, which can be used to understand the critical elements and their inter-relationships within the MPHN. Second, we wanted to apply the information derived from the models to propose a prototype model and to produce a system-based implementation and evaluation plan to realize the network. These objectives were achieved by combining soft system methodology with soft systems diagrams to propose relevant systems models. We conclude that systems modelling facilitates the understanding, implementation and evaluation of ICT in healthcare.

Editor's Note: Systems and System Models