Quantum correlations for a simple kicked system with mixed phase space

Abstract

We investigate both the classical and quantum dynamics for a simple kicked system (the standard map) that classically has mixed phase space. For initial conditions in a portion of the chaotic region that is close enough to the regular region, the phenomenon of sticking leads to a power-law decay with time of the classical correlation function of a simple observable. Quantum mechanically, we find the same behavior, but with a smaller exponent. We consider various possible explanations of this phenomenon, and settle on a modification of the Meiss--Ott Markov tree model that takes into account quantum limitations on the flux through a turnstile between regions corresponding to states on the tree. Further work is needed to better understand the quantum behavior.