Path integral approach for superintegrable potentials on spaces of nonconstant curvature: I. Darboux spaces D I and D II

Abstract

In this paper, the Feynman path integral technique is applied for superintegrable potentials on two-dimensional spaces of nonconstant curvature: these spaces are Darboux spaces D I and D II. On D I, there are three, and on D II four such potentials. We are able to evaluate the path integral in most of the separating coordinate systems, leading to expressions for the Green functions, the discrete and continuous wave-functions, and the discrete energy-spectra. In some cases, however, the discrete spectrum cannot be stated explicitly, because it is either determined by a transcendental equation involving parabolic cylinder functions (Darboux space I), or by a higher order polynomial equation. The solutions on D I in particular show that superintegrable systems are not necessarily degenerate. We can also show how the limiting cases of flat space (constant curvature zero) and the two-dimensional hyperboloid (constant negative curvature) emerge.