Article ID Journal Published Year Pages File Type
1860756 Physics Letters A 2009 5 Pages PDF
Abstract

We show that the large phase expansion of the Schrödinger propagation of an initially discontinuous wave function leads to the divergence of average energy, momentum, and displacement, rendering them unphysical states. If initially discontinuous wave functions are considered to be approximations to continuous ones, the determinant of the spreading rate of these averages is the maximal gradient of the initial wave function. Therefore a dilemma arises between the inclusion of discontinuous wave functions in quantum mechanics and the requirement of finite moments.

Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering Physics and Astronomy Physics and Astronomy (General)
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