Weak Energy: Form and Function

• Published in: arXiv.org
• Main Author: Parks, Allen D
• Format: Paper Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ithaca Cornell University Library, arXiv.org 09.04.2013
• Subjects: Energy; Equations of motion; Euler-Lagrange equation; Evolution; Physics - Quantum Physics; Quantum mechanics
• ISSN: 2331-8422
• DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.1304.2562

The equation of motion for a time-independent weak value of a quantum mechanical observable contains a complex valued energy factor - the weak energy of evolution. This quantity is defined by the dynamics of the pre-selected and post-selected states which specify the observable's weak value. It is shown that this energy: (i) is manifested as dynamical and geometric phases that govern the evolution of the weak value during the measurement process; (ii) satisfies the Euler-Lagrange equations when expressed in terms of Pancharatnam (P) phase and Fubini-Study (FS) metric distance; (iii) provides for a PFS stationary action principle for quantum state evolution; (iv) time translates correlation amplitudes; (v) generalizes the temporal persistence of state normalization; and (vi) obeys a time-energy uncertainty relation. A similar complex valued quantity - the pointed weak energy of an evolving state - is also defined and several of its properties in PFS-coordinates are discussed. It is shown that the imaginary part of the pointed weak energy governs the state's survival probability and its real part is - to within a sign - the Mukunda-Simon geometric phase for arbitrary evolutions or the Aharonov-Anandan (AA) phase for cyclic evolutions. Pointed weak energy gauge transformations and the PFS 1-form are discussed and the relationship between the PFS 1-form and the AA connection 1-form is established.