Semi-Quantum Chaos

We consider a system in which a classical oscillator is interacting with a purely quantum mechanical oscillator, described by the Lagrangian $ L = \frac{1}{2} \dot{x}^2 + \frac{1}{2} \dot{A}^2 - \frac{1}{2} ( m^2 + e^2 A^2) x^2 >, $where$A$isaclassicalvariableand$x$isaquantumoperator\mathrm{.}With$\langle x(t) \rangle = 0$,therelevantvariableforthequantumoscillatoris$\langle x(t) x(t) \rangle = G(t)$. The classical Hamiltonian dynamics governing the variables $A(t)$, ${\mathrm{\Pi }}_A(t)$, $G(t)$ and ${\mathrm{\Pi }}_G(t)$ is chaotic so that the results of making measurements on the quantum system at later times are sensitive to initial conditions. This system arises as the zero momentum part of the problem of pair production of charged scalar particles by a strong external electric field.