Diffusion Effect in Quantum Hydrodynamics

Abstract

In this paper, we introduce (at least formally) a diffusion effect that is based on an axiom postulated by Werner Heisenberg in the early days of quantum mechanics. His statement was that—in quantum mechanics—kinematical quantities such as velocity must be treated as complex matrices. In the hydrodynamic formulation of quantum mechanics according to Madelung, the complex Schrödinger equation is rewritten in terms of two real equations—a continuity equation and a modified Hamilton–Jacobi equation. Considering seriously Heisenberg’s axiom, the velocity occurring in the continuity equation should be replaced by a complex one, thus introducing a diffusion term with an imaginary diffusion coefficient. Therefore, in quantum mechanics, there should be a diffusion effect showing up in the dynamics. This is the case in the time evolution of the free-motion wave packet under time reversal. The maximum returns to the initial position; however, the width of the wave packet does not shrink to its initial width. This effect is obvious but—as far as we know—it is not mentioned in any textbook. In our paper, we discuss this effect in detail and show the connection with a complex version of quantum hydrodynamics.