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.