Quantum Lévy Processes and Fractional Kinetics

Abstract

Exotic stochastic processes are shown to emerge in the quantum evolution of complex systems. Using influence function techniques, we consider the dynamics of a system coupled to a chaotic subsystem described through random matrix theory. We find that the reduced density matrix can display dynamics given by Lévy stable laws. The classical limit of these dynamics can be related to fractional kinetic equations. In particular we derive a fractional extension of Kramers equation.

4 pages Revtex. To appear in Phys. Rev. Lett. (1999)