Quantum state sensitivity to initial conditions

Abstract

The different time-dependent distances of two arbitrarily close quantum or classical-statistical states to a third fixed state are shown to imply an experimentally relevant notion of state sensitivity to initial conditions. A quantitative classification scheme of quantum states by their sensitivity and instability in state space is given that reduces to the one performed by classical-mechanical Lyapunov exponents in the classical limit

1 .tex file and 2 .ps figures. Physical Review A (to appear 1 May)