Extreme quantum nonequilibrium, nodes, vorticity, drift, and relaxation retarding states

Abstract

Consideration is given to the behaviour of de Broglie trajectories that are separated from the bulk of the Born distribution with a view to describing the quantum relaxation properties of more `extreme' forms of quantum nonequilibrium. For the 2-dimensional isotropic harmonic oscillator, through the construction of what is termed the `drift field', a description is given of a general mechanism that causes the relaxation of `extreme' quantum nonequilibrium. Quantum states are found which do not feature this mechanism, so that relaxation may be severely delayed or possibly may not take place at all. A method by which these states may be identified, classified and calculated is given in terms of the properties of the nodes of the state. Properties of the nodes that enable this classification are described for the first time.