Notes
2026-10-30
These are two screen shots of the Hénon-Heiles potential
Left: a 3D and right a contour plot of the Hénon-Heiles potential.
Parameters
| Parameter | Value | Units | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| \(\alpha\) | 2.0 | — | Non-linear coupling strength |
| \(m\) | 1.0 | kg | Mass |
| \(\omega\) | 1.0 | 1/s | Harmonic oscillator frequency |
I spend an hour raading “Postmoden Quantummechanics” [@heller1993postmodern].
Semiclassical approximation of quantum amplitudes have a universal form and is given by \[\psi(x)=\sum_n \sqrt{P_n(x)} \,\exp\Big\{i \varphi_n(x)/\hbar\Big\},\] with
\(\varphi_n(x)\) – classical action along the \(n^\text{th}\) path reaching \(x\)
\(P_n(x)\) – classical probability
Lines I considered interesting. What is it that makes the theory break down exactly?