Kadanoff-Baym equations and non-Markovian Boltzmann equation in generalized T-matrix approximation

A method for deriving quantum kinetic equations with initial correlations is developed on the basis of the nonequilibrium Green's function formalism. The method is applicable to a wide range of correlated initial states described by nonequilibrium statistical thermodynamics. Initial correlations and the real-time evolution are treated by a unified technique employing many-component ``mixed'' Green's functions. The Dyson equation for the mixed Green's function leads to a set o...

The Kadanoff-Baym equations (KBE) are usually derived under the assumption of the weakening of initial correlations (Bogolyubov's condition) and, therefore, fail to correctly describe the short time behavior. We demonstrate that this assumption is not necessary. Using functional derivatives techniques, we present a straightforward generalization of the KBE which allows to include arbitrary initial correlations and which is more general than previous derivations. As a result, ...

Using the Kadanoff-Baym non-equilibrium Green's function formalism, we derive kinetic equations for the non-condensate atoms at finite temperatures which include the effect of binary collisions between atoms. The effect of collisions is included using the second-order self-energy given by the Beliaev (gapless) approximation. We limit our discussion to finite temperatures where we can use the single-particle Hartree-Fock spectrum for the excited atoms. In this limit, we can ne...

The finite duration of the collisions in Fermionic systems as expressed by the retardation time in non-Markovian Levinson-type kinetic equations is discussed in the quasiclassical limit. We separate individual contributions included in the memory effect resulting in (i) off-shell tails of the Wigner distribution, (ii) renormalization of scattering rates and (iii) of the single-particle energy, (iv) collision delay and (v) related non-local corrections to the scattering integr...

We derive Boltzmann equations for massive spin-1/2 fermions with local and nonlocal collision terms from the Kadanoff--Baym equation in the Schwinger--Keldysh formalism, properly accounting for the spin degrees of freedom. The Boltzmann equations are expressed in terms of matrix-valued spin distribution functions, which are the building blocks for the quasi-classical parts of the Wigner functions. Nonlocal collision terms appear at next-to-leading order in $\hbar$ and are sou...

The following issues are discussed inspired by the recent paper of Kadanoff (arXiv: 1403:6162): (a) Construction of a generalized one-particle Wigner distribution (GWD) function (analog of the classical distribution function) from which the quantum kinetic equation due to Kadanoff and Baym (KB) is derived, often called the Quantum Boltzmann Equation (QBE); (b) The equation obeyed by this has a collision contribution in the form of a two-particle Green function. This term is m...

The formation of correlations due to collisions in an interacting nucleonic system is investigated. Results from one-time kinetic equations are compared with the Kadanoff and Baym two-time equation with collisions included in Born approximation. A reasonable agreement is found for a proposed approximation of the memory effects by a finite duration of collisions. This form of collision integral is in agreement with intuitive estimates from Fermi's golden rule. The formation of...

We study the non-equilibrium dynamics of small, strongly correlated clusters, described by a Hubbard Hamiltonian, by propagating in time the Kadanoff-Baym equations within the Hartree-Fock, 2nd Born, GW and T-matrix approximations. We compare the results to exact numerical solutions. We find that the T-matrix is overall superior to the other approximations, and is in good agreement with the exact results in the low-density regime. In the long time limit, the many-body approxi...

A generalized quantum kinetic equation (RKE) of the Kadanoff-Baym type is obtained on the basis of the Heisenberg equations of motion where the time evolution and space translation are separated from each other by means of the covariant method. The same approach is used also for a covariant modification of the real-time Green's functions method based on the Wigner representation. The suggested approach does not contain arbitrariness' elements and uncertainties which often ari...

The generalized Kadanoff-Baym ansatz (GKBA) is an approximation to the Kadanoff-Baym equations (KBE), that neglects certain memory effects that contribute to the Green's function at non-equal times. Here we present arguments and numerical results to demonstrate the practical insignificance of the quantities neglected when deriving the GKBA at conditions at which KBE and GKBA are appropriate. We provide a mathematical proof that places a scaling bound on the neglected terms, f...