Journal article
On the Time-Dependent Analysis of Gamow Decay
- Abstract:
- Gamow's explanation of the exponential decay law uses complex "eigenvalues" and exponentially growing "eigenfunctions". This raises the question, how Gamow's description fits into the quantum mechanical description of nature, which is based on real eigenvalues and square integrable wave functions. Observing that the time evolution of any wave function is given by its expansion in generalized eigenfunctions, we shall answer this question in the most straightforward manner, which at the same time is accessible to graduate students and specialists. Moreover the presentation can well be used in physics lectures to students.
- Publication status:
- Published
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- Publisher copy:
- 10.1088/0143-0807/32/5/019
Authors
- Journal:
- Eur. J. Phys. More from this journal
- Volume:
- 32
- Issue:
- 5
- Pages:
- 1311
- Publication date:
- 2010-11-24
- DOI:
- EISSN:
-
1361-6404
- ISSN:
-
0143-0807
- Keywords:
- Pubs id:
-
pubs:104672
- UUID:
-
uuid:1b8d3452-42ab-4fda-a254-bd575add85cd
- Local pid:
-
pubs:104672
- Source identifiers:
-
104672
- Deposit date:
-
2012-12-19
- ARK identifier:
Terms of use
- Copyright date:
- 2010
- Notes:
-
10 pages, 4 figures; heuristic argument simplified, different example
discussed, calculation of decay rate added
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