Kurt Jacobs

University of Massachusetts

How Quantum Systems Thermalize:  A Recent Big Step by Linden et al.

Abstract: Linden et al. have recently put a paper on the arXiv (arXiv:0812.2385)
that shows that subsystems of large closed systems will attain an equilibrium state, so long as the
initial state contains many energy eigenstates with non-degenerate spectra. This
solves part of the problem of how (and why) quantum systems thermalize. I will also
discuss the remaining open problems.