Consider an unstable quantum system that has been found undecayed at an instant s and denote by R(t,s) the rate of its regeneration into an original (undecayed) state at a later instant t+s. It is proved that the reduced evolution is a semigroup, i.e., there is no regeneration at all, provided R(t,s)1/2 can be estimated by a sufficiently regular function that is nondecreasing in s and has zero derivative with respect to t at t=0 for every s. This generalizes the theorem of Misra and Sinha [Helv. Phys. Acta 45, 619 (1972)] in a different direction than in a recent paper by Nishioka [J. Math. Phys. 29, 1860 (1988)].

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We study a charged two-dimensional particle confined to a straight parabolic-potential channel and exposed to a homogeneous magnetic field under the influence of a potential perturbation W. If W is bounded and periodic along the channel, a perturbative argument yields the absolute continuity of the bottom of the spectrum. We show that it can have any finite number of open gaps provided that the confining potential is sufficiently strong. However, if W depends on the periodic variable only, we prove by the Thomas argument that the whole spectrum is absolutely continuous, irrespective of the size of the perturbation. On the other hand, if W is small and satisfies a weak localization condition in the the longitudinal direction, we prove by the Mourre method that a part of the absolutely continuous spectrum persists.

The initial decay rate of a mixed state is discussed; is shown to be zero for finite energy states. In the previous paper [1] we investigated a general scheme for description of unstable systems. One of our results concerned the initial decay rate. Generalizing the earlier results of Horwitz and Marchand (see [2] and other references contained in [1]) we proved there, that the initial decay rate of any pure state of the unstable system equals to zero, if this state is so called finite energy state. Here we shall be interested in the same problem, assuming now the state of the decaying system to be in general mixed. Such assumption seems to be reasonable: firstly, from the point of view of an experiment it is too restrictive to treat only pure states of unstable systems. In particular, mixed states are generally considered in the recent studies about the influence of measuring devices on the time evolution of the unstable system [3

We consider scattering of a three-dimensional particle on a finite family of potentials. For some parameter values the scattering wavefunctions exhibit nodal lines in the form of closed loops, which may touch but do not entangle. The corresponding probability current forms vortical singularities around these lines; if the scattered particle is charged, this gives rise to magnetic flux loops in the vicinity of the nodal lines. The conclusions extend to scattering on hard obstacles or smooth potentials.