From Classical to Quantum Mechanics (Q4827403)

As correctly stressed by the authors in the introduction this publication should be rather seen as a monograph on quantum mechanics, than as a textbook. In fact the range of materials covered goes way beyond the usual ones found in a textbook. The main focus is on the conceptual presentation and the mathematical formalism, to which great attention is devoted, and which is certainly one of the highlights of the book. The book as a whole is perhaps most suited for a reader who is already acquainted with quantum mechanics, looking for a rigorous and modern treatment of different topics. A good background in classical dynamics and especially canonical transformations, as well as differential geometry and functional analysis would certainly be of help to appreciate the exposition, which is sometimes by necessity concise. A selection of the topics covered can be used for a one year course, and in fact as acknowledged by the authors the work partly relies on the teaching tradition of quantum mechanics in different Universities in Italy. In this connection most commonly taught topics are covered, with a few exceptions among which spin-orbit coupling and the anoma1ous Zeeman effect. At the end of each chapter a selection of problems is proposed and appendixes provide supplementary material, mainly briefly recalling useful mathematical results. To give an idea of the full contents would be too long. We only recall that the volume is divided into three parts. The first one brings from classical mechanics to quantum mechanics, introducing the Schrödinger equation by an analysis of classical wave equations and dealing with most of the topics covered in a one year course in quantum mechanics, even though with the usual great attention to the mathematical aspects, especially in connection with perturbation theory and scattering theory. The second part deals with Weyl quantisation, introducing symmetry transformations starting form symplectic linear transformations, thus putting into evidence the modern group-theoretical approach to quantum mechanics tracing back to the work of Weyl and more recently Mackey. The last part covers a wide selection of further topics, among which statistical mechanics and black-body radiation, Lagrangian and phase-space formulations of quantum mechanics, the Dirac equation. The book certainly distinguishes itself form previous publications, both for the attention to mathematical details, the choice of topics covered, and the endeavour to make contact to modern developments and present research, as shown by the many references to research articles, even very recent ones, by necessity reflecting the interest of the authors and not covering the whole spectrum of significant advances in the field.