Memory Effects in Long-Time Lindblad Motion

Abstract

It is shown that the Lindblad equation accounts for memory effects. That is to say, Lindblad operators can be constructed in a natural manner such that a memory term appears in the asymptotic (infinite time) region; at the same time the expectation values depend on the initial state. Furthermore a procedure to extend the Lindblad equation to an equation of motion for an ideal Bose 'gas' of 'particles', i.e.systems with non-trivial internal structure, is described. Initially in some quantum state, this collection of 'particles' will asymptotically turn into an equilibrium ensemble whose probability distribution is determined by the Lindblad operators building the dissipative part of the equation of motion.