Equilibration of quantum systems and subsystems

The problem of the 'derivation' of statistical mechanics from quantum mechanics has been approached in recent literature from two (related) directions: (i) Equilibration: showing that an initial ensemble approaches a stationary long-time behaviour, and (ii) Thermalization: proving that this long-time average is equal to a microcanonical average with a suitable energy or a canonical one with a suitably defined temperature. I will talk about the former, and present a proof showing that the expectation values of 'realistic' quantum observables equilibrate under very general conditions.

Reference:
Anthony J Short 2011 New J. Phys. 13 053009

Further reading:
Peter Reimann 2010 New J. Phys. 12 055027
M. Rigol, V. Dunjko, and M. Olshanii, Nature 452, 854 (2008)