A BBGKY-like Hierarchy for Quantum Field Theories

Abstract

We present a Hamiltonian method of constructing BBGKY-like hierarchies for quantum field theories. With suitable choices, our method creates a hierarchical system of evolution equations for the k-th order reduced density matrices. These equations can be closed at finite order using methods developed for the classical BBGKY hierarchy to give non-perturbative approximations for the full quantum equations of motion. Classical observables can then be numerically computed from these approximate equations, providing an analytically tractable method of modeling high-energy environments where quantum effects play a pronounced role.