Variational Gaussian approximation for the magnetic Schr\"odinger equation

Abstract

In the present paper we consider the semiclassical magnetic Schr\"odinger equation, which describes the dynamics of particles under the influence of a magnetic field. The solution of the time-dependent Schr\"odinger equation is approximated by a single Gaussian wave packet via the time-dependent Dirac--Frenkel variational principle. For the approximation we derive ordinary differential equations of motion for the parameters of the variational solution. Moreover, we prove $L^2$-error bounds and observable error bounds for the approximating Gaussian wave packet.