Gianfausto Dell'Antonio - Böcker

In the last few years, multiscale methods have lead to spectacular progress in our understanding of complex physical systems and have stimulated the development of very refined mathematical techniques. At the same time on the experimental side, equally spectacular progress has been made in developing experimental machinery and techniques to test the foundations of quantum mechanics. In view of this progress, this volume is very timely; it is the first text totally devoted to multiscale methods as applied to various areas of physics and to the relative developments in mathematics.The book is aimed at mathematical physicists, theoretical physicists, applied mathematicians, and experimental physicists working in such areas as decoherence, quantum information, and quantum optics.

This volume explores multiscale methods as applied to various areas of physics and to the relative developments in mathematics. In the last few years, multiscale methods have lead to spectacular progress in our understanding of complex physical systems and have stimulated the development of very refined mathematical techniques. At the same time on the experimental side, equally spectacular progress has been made in developing experimental machinery and techniques to test the foundations of quantum mechanics.

This volume collects recent contributions on the contemporary trends in the mathematics of quantum mechanics, and more specifically in mathematical problems arising in quantum many-body dynamics, quantum graph theory, cold atoms, unitary gases, with particular emphasis on the developments of the specific mathematical tools needed, including: linear and non-linear Schrödinger equations, topological invariants, non-commutative geometry, resonances and operator extension theory, among others. Most of contributors are international leading experts or respected young researchers in mathematical physics, PDE, and operator theory. All their material is the fruit of recent studies that have already become a reference in the community. Offering a unified perspective of the mathematics of quantum mechanics, it is a valuable resource for researchers in the field.

This volume collects recent contributions on the contemporary trends in the mathematics of quantum mechanics, and more specifically in mathematical problems arising in quantum many-body dynamics, quantum graph theory, cold atoms, unitary gases, with particular emphasis on the developments of the specific mathematical tools needed, including: linear and non-linear Schrödinger equations, topological invariants, non-commutative geometry, resonances and operator extension theory, among others. Most of contributors are international leading experts or respected young researchers in mathematical physics, PDE, and operator theory. All their material is the fruit of recent studies that have already become a reference in the community. Offering a unified perspective of the mathematics of quantum mechanics, it is a valuable resource for researchers in the field.

The theory of Dirichlet forms has witnessed recently somevery important developments both in theoretical foundationsand in applications (stochasticprocesses, quantum fieldtheory, composite materials,...). It was therefore felttimely to have on this subject a CIME school, in whichleading experts in the field would present both the basicfoundations of the theory and some of the recentapplications. The six courses covered the basic theory andapplications to:- Stochastic processes and potential theory (M. Fukushimaand M. Roeckner)- Regularity problems for solutions to elliptic equations ingeneral domains (E. Fabes and C. Kenig)- Hypercontractivity of semigroups, logarithmic Sobolevinequalities and relation to statistical mechanics (L. Grossand D. Stroock).The School had a constant and active participation of youngresearchers, both from Italy and abroad.

The first volume (General Theory) differs from most textbooks as it emphasizes the mathematical structure and mathematical rigor, while being adapted to the teaching the first semester of an advanced course in Quantum Mechanics (the content of the book are the lectures of courses actually delivered.). It differs also from the very few texts in Quantum Mechanics that give emphasis to the mathematical aspects because this book, being written as Lecture Notes, has the structure of lectures delivered in a course, namely introduction of the problem, outline of the relevant points, mathematical tools needed, theorems, proofs. This makes this book particularly useful for self-study and for instructors in the preparation of a second course in Quantum Mechanics (after a first basic course). With some minor additions it can be used also as a basis of a first course in Quantum Mechanics for students in mathematics curricula. The second part (Selected Topics) are lecture notes of a more advanced course aimed at giving the basic notions necessary to do research in several areas of mathematical physics connected with quantum mechanics, from solid state to singular interactions, many body theory, semi-classical analysis, quantum statistical mechanics. The structure of this book is suitable for a second-semester course, in which the lectures are meant to provide, in addition to theorems and proofs, an overview of a more specific subject and hints to the direction of research. In this respect and for the width of subjects this second volume differs from other monographs on Quantum Mechanics. The second volume can be useful for students who want to have a basic preparation for doing research and for instructors who may want to use it as a basis for the presentation of selected topics.