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This study identifies conserved quantities and integrability as critical prerequisites for the quantum Mpemba effect in weakly open systems, demonstrating that multi-dimensional dynamical evolution significantly alters relaxation dynamics compared to single-parameter manifolds. By leveraging tensor networks and free-fermion techniques, the authors provide numerical validation for large system sizes, offering a clearer theoretical framework for understanding non-equilibrium steady states in many-body quantum physics.
Conserved quantities enable the quantum Mpemba effect in weakly open systems
arXiv:2511.16739v2 Announce Type: replace Abstract: Observation of the quantum Mpemba effect has spurred much interest in its enabling conditions and its relation to the classical counterpart. Here, we consider weakly open many-body quantum systems initialized in different thermal states and examine when the initially farther state relaxes to the (non-equilibrium) steady state faster. We claim that the number of conserved quantities in the unitary part plays a crucial role: the Mpemba effect is possible only when the Hamiltonian commutes with other extensive operators or is integrable. The reason lies in the dynamical evolution happening in spaces of different dimensions. When energy is the only approximately conserved quantity, dissipation pushes the dynamics within a single-parameter manifold of different thermal states. In contrast, for Hamiltonians with several conserved quantities, the dynamics drift in the multi-dimensional space of generalized Gibbs ensembles, whose distance to the steady state is less trivial. We provide numerical results for large system sizes using tensor networks and free-fermion techniques, thereby supporting our claim.
Abstract:Observation of the quantum Mpemba effect has spurred much interest in its enabling conditions and its relation to the classical counterpart. Here, we consider weakly open many-body quantum systems initialized in different thermal states and examine when the initially farther state relaxes to the (non-equilibrium) steady state faster. We claim that the number of conserved quantities in the unitary part plays a crucial role: the Mpemba effect is possible only when the Hamiltonian commutes with other extensive operators or is integrable. The reason lies in the dynamical evolution happening in spaces of different dimensions. When energy is the only approximately conserved quantity, dissipation pushes the dynamics within a single-parameter manifold of different thermal states. In contrast, for Hamiltonians with several conserved quantities, the dynamics drift in the multi-dimensional space of generalized Gibbs ensembles, whose distance to the steady state is less trivial. We provide numerical results for large system sizes using tensor networks and free-fermion techniques, thereby supporting our claim.
Quantum Physics (quant-ph); Statistical Mechanics (cond-mat.stat-mech)
arXiv:2511.16739 [quant-ph]
(or arXiv:2511.16739v2 [quant-ph] for this version)
Full text under the publisher's open licence · 174 words
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