A geodesical perspective for the simple harmonic oscillator

Rodrigo Sánchez-Martı́nez1
Facultad de Fı́sica, Universidad Veracruzana Xalapa de Enrı́quez, CP 91000 Veracruz, México
H. N. Núñez-Yépez2
Departamento de Fı́sica, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Unidad Iztapalapa, Apartado Postal 55-534,
Iztapalapa CP 09340 CDMX, México
A. L. Salas-Brito3
Departamento de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Unidad Azcapotzalco, Apartado Postal
21–267, Coyoacán CP 04000 CDMX, México.

Abstract
The harmonic oscillator is perhaps the most studied problem in physics due to the simplicity of its
solution and to the number of phenomena that may be described by it. In this work, we solve the classical
problem using a more geometrical approach. We first transform its energy into a free-particle form, thus
we may attribute the dynamics of the system to the geometrical properties of the transformed, non-flat
phase space. Then, we show the similitude of the evolution of the system in this new space with that of
a quantum coherent state of the harmonic oscillator in the complex plane.

1 Introduction

General Relativity (GR) substitutes gravitational

forces by a curved space-time. Particles move ac-
cording the curvature itself describing geodesic tra-
jectories. Such a technique may be employed to
work out classical (non-relativistic) problems, de-
forming not the actual physical space but the phase
space, in which each point represents a defined state
of the system. If we transform the energy of a given
Hamiltonian into kinetic energy only, we can under-
stand that a point in this transformed phase space
moves freely and that the actual curved trajectories
are a natural consequence of the new space geome-
try, as it is done in GR.
Changes of variables in phase space (pi , qi , t)
are not as simple as in configuration space (qi , t).
In Hamiltonian theory, not all transformations be-
tween canonical variables leave the Hamilton equa- Figure 1: In a flat space (a) force-free motion fol-
tions unchanged, namely lows straight trajectories. On the contrary, if the
space is curved, free particles describe curved paths
naturally (b).
∂H ∂H
q̇i = , ṗi = − .
∂pi ∂qi
We shall show in this work that the solution
of the harmonic oscillator found by using this geo-
Those transformations that preserve the form of metrical idea is consistent with the already known
Hamilton equations – and therefore the dynamical solution and that the generating function of the
information of the system – are called canonical CT performed is equivalent to the action function
transformations (CT). found by using Hamilton-Jacobi theory (HJ). As
1
E-mail: rodrigo96fml@gmail.com
2
E-mail: nyhn@xanum.uam.mx
3
E-mail: asb@correo.azc.uam.mxs

1
a complement, we then present that in dimension- interpretation will be discussed later. Note also
less variables the geodesics are found to be circular that the these new coordinates have the same di-
orbits and the fact that they coincide with the co- mensions that the original pair (p, q).
herent quantum states orbits in complex plane. To use consistently the Hamiltonian approach
we need to be sure that the new variables are in-
deed canonical, i.e. their Poisson bracket should
2 Hamiltonian theory equal 1,
The dynamics of a particle subjected to a force of ∂q ∂p ∂p ∂q
the form F = −kr is completely codified in the {q, p}Q,P = − =1
∂Q ∂P ∂Q ∂P
Hamiltonian function
This condition gives a simple differential equation
p2 1 for Φ(P, Q)
H(p, q) = + mω 2 q 2 , (2.1)
2m 2 P ∂Φ
=1 (2.6)
p
where ω = k/m is the natural frequency of the mω ∂Q
oscillator. In their classical mechanics courses, After integrating we have
many authors present the following CT to solve the mωQ
problem [1, 2, 3, 5]: Φ(P, Q) = , (2.7)
P
√
r
2P provided that 0 ≤ Φ < 2π, for uniqueness in the
q= sin Q, p = 2mωP cos Q. (2.2)
mω transformation. Thus the complete transformation
is
In these coordinates the Hamiltonian (2.1) becomes
explicitly independent of Q, P h mωQ i h mωQ i
q= sin , p = P cos . (2.8)
mω P P
K(P, Q) = ωP. (2.3)
Because this transformation is canonical, Hamilton
However it is not so easy to associate any physical equations hold on H e and we get the well-known
significance to the new momentum P besides the equations of motion of a free particle, P (t) = P0
fact that it has dimensions of action, [E/ω] = [S]. and Q(t) = P0 /m t + Q0 . Along the process energy
Such an interpretation is not necessary to solve the is conserved, H = He = E, so we can write
problem in any case. Nevertheless, there is a differ- √
P0 = ± 2mE, (2.9)
ent, elegant way to transform the original Hamilto-
nian into one with a cyclic coordinate and getting and find the consistent solutions
an almost trivial interpretation. As mentioned in r
the introduction, our goal in this paper is to trans- 2E

q(t) = sin ωt + φ 0 ,
form (2.1) into a Hamiltonian having a free-particle mω 2 (2.10)
√

form. p(t) = 2mE cos ωt + φ0 ,
The algebraic nature of the coordinates suggests
to use trigonometric functions as in (2.2). But, where φ0 = mωQ0 /P0 is a phase depending on the
since their argument does not appear explicitly in initial conditions.
the result, we can choose it in order to complete a On the other hand, if our purpose is simply to
CT. We start by defining: find a transformation that eliminates potential-like
terms in (2.1), we can proceed in a more general
P

manner as follows. We can always separate any
q= sin Φ(P, Q) , p = P cos Φ(P, Q) ,
mω Hamiltonian as
(2.4)
where the argument Φ(P, Q) is a function such that p2  m2 ω 2 q 2 
H(p, q) = 1+ . (2.11)
makes this transformation to be canonical. Ef- 2m p2
fectively, definition (2.4) removes potential terms This separation suggests a natural definition for the
in the Hamiltonian, leaving a kinetic energy term new momentum
only: s
m2 ω 2 q 2
P2 P (p, q) = p 1 + . (2.12)
H(P,
e Q) = . (2.5) p2
2m
This is the Hamiltonian function of a free particle This procedure also transform Hamiltonian (2.1)
in the new (P, Q) coordinates, whose geometrical into (2.5). Notice that dimension is again preserved

2
here. In order to complete this canonical transfor- 4 Physical and geometrical inter-
mation, we look for a generating function of the pretation
second type G2 (P, q) such that
∂G2 ∂G2 Equation of motion in (Q, P ) coordinates reads
p= and Q = . (2.13)
∂q ∂P
mQ̈ = 0. (4.1)
Solving for p(P, q) from definition (2.12) and using
the first condition of (2.13) we obtain the generat-
A point in this new phase space moves freely
ing function
Z p along the Q coordinate; it is moving somehow in a
G2 (P, q) = P 2 − m2 ω 2 q 2 dq (2.14) geodesic trajectory. Even more, this space is closed.
The Q coordinate satisfies Q(t) = Q(t + T ), with
up to an additive function of time. After integrat- T = 2π/ω the period of the oscillator.
ing we obtain A simple inspection of Hamiltonian (2.1) shows
that the system moves on ellipses defined over the
qp 2
G2 (P, q) = P − m2 ω 2 q 2 + original phase space. A rescaling of this space can
2
be done so the system moves in circles.
P2 h mωq i
arctan p . (2.15) To solve the quantum harmonic oscillator, it is
2mω P 2 − m2 ω 2 q 2 customary to give a dimensionless character to the
From the second condition of (2.13) and putting P position and momentum operators by introducing
in terms of p and q, we obtain some suitable factors dealing with ~ [7, 8]. We can
s carry out essentially this idea and redefine
p m2 ω 2 q 2 h mωq i
Q(p, q) = 1+ arctan .
p2
r
mω p mω p
q̄ = q and p̄ = √ (4.2)
(2.16) 2s0 2mωs0
Equations (2.12) and (2.16) are actually the inverse
transformation of eqs. (2.8). as new dimensionless variables, where s0 is an ar-
bitrary constant which stands for ~, having dimen-
sions of action as well. In terms of these variables
3 Hamilton-Jacobi theory the following equations hold:
Now we shall sketch the solution of the problem via
E q̄
Hamilton-Jacobi theory p̄2 + q̄ 2 = , tan Φ = , (4.3)
 ∂S  ∂S s0 ω p̄
H qi , ,t + = 0. (3.1)
∂qi ∂t which clearly define circles in a new phase space,
The evolution of the system in question, using see fig. 2. Furthermore, a point lying on one of
(3.1) is described by the following partial differen- these circles is moving at constant angular speed
tial equation because of
1 h ∂S 2 i ∂S
d  mωQ  d
+ m2 ω 2 q 2 +


= 0, (3.2) Φ̇ = = ωt + φ0 = ω. (4.4)
2m ∂q ∂t dt P dt
recalling that p = ∂S/∂q. The solution is usually
In addition, if we carry out similar definitions
found by making a separation of the principal func-
for P and Q from (4.2), equations (2.12) and (2.16)
tion into its spatial and temporal parts. This leads
become
to
Z p
P2
S(q, t) = 2mE − m2 ω 2 q 2 dq − Et. (3.3) = p̄2 + q̄ 2 = P̄ 2 ,
2mωs0
r (4.5)
where the energy E is the separation constant. To mω p  q̄ 
Q = p̄2 + q̄ 2 arctan = Q̄.
determine the complete solution we do not need to 2s0 p̄
find S but its partial derivatives. We shall remark
only that the action function (3.3) is totally equiv- Now it is trivial to say that P̄ is the dimensionless
alent to the
√generating function (2.14) if we intro- radius of the circles and Q̄ its corresponding arc
duce P = 2mE. Equations (2.8) can be derived length changing uniformly in time.
from this approach and so the same conclusions.

3
 tainty relation ∆p̂∆q̂ ≥ ~/2, which is a feature that
may led people to regard them as rather similar to
classical states in their behavior. Mathematically,
they are eigenstates of the annihilation operator â,
r 
mω i
â|αi = q̂ + √ p̂ |αi = α|αi. (5.2)
2~ 2mω~

In terms of the annihilation operator and its ad-

joint (the creation operator ↠), the Hamiltonian
operator takes the form
 1
Ĥ = ~ω ↠â + . (5.3)
2

The evolution of a CS is indeed another CS

Figure 2: The level surfaces of the new coordi- characterized by α(t) = α0 e−iωt , where α0 repre-
nates (P̄ , Q̄) projected over the original phase space sents the initial state. Since |α(t)| = |α0 |, the evo-
(p, q) define circunferences and straight lines pass- lution of the system can be pictured as the uniform
ing through the origin. motion in circles of radius |α| in a complex plane,
see fig 3. We can express that (dimensionless) ra-
Finally, we point out that the scaling process dius in terms of the mean value of the energy, using
may be also considered in turn as a CT by setting (5.3), hĤiα = ~ω(|α|2 + 1/2),
|s0 | = 1. s
hĤiα 1
|α| = − (5.4)
5 Quantum aspects ~ω 2

A coherent state (CS) is defined by which at high energies adopts the form
∞
2 /2
X αn
|αi = e−|α| √ |ni, α ∈ C, (5.1)
r
E
n=0 n! P̄ = , (s0 = ~) (5.5)
s0 ω
where |ni are the eigenstates of the associate
Hamiltonian operator. They minimize the uncer- as our previous result, eq. (4.3).

Figure 3: At the left, the phase space for the classical harmonic oscillator in dimensionless variables (p̄, q̄).
At he right, the evolution of a coherent state |αi in a quantum harmonic oscillator, represented in the
complex space. A point in both spaces moves at constant frequency ω.

4
6 Conclusions [3] E. Corinaldesi Classical mechanics por physics
graduate students. World Scientific, Farrer
First, we have shown that it is possible to found Road, Singapore, 1998.
a CT that transforms the energy of an harmonic
oscillator into a free-particle form. This procedure [4] D. Oliver The shaggy steed of physics: mathe-
has no mathematical advantages over the usual CT matical beauty in the physical world. Springer-
(2.2), but it is rich in physical and geometrical in- Verlag, New York, USA, 1993.
terpretation; forces have been substituted by geom-
etry.
[5] K. S. Lam Fundamental principles of classical
Second, this special transformation is generated
mechanics: a geometrical perspective. World
by the solution of HJ equation, the action function
Scientific, Farrer Road, Singapore, 2004.
S(q, E, t), if complete ad hoc E(P ) = P 2 /2m. In
fact, it is possible to generalize this conclusion for
[6] J. V. José & E. J. Saletan Classical dynamics:
any one-dimensional problem.
a contemporary approach. Cambridge Univer-
sity Press, Cambridge, UK, 1998.
References
[7] N. Zettili Quantum mechanics: concepts and
[1] W. Greiner Classical mechanics: systems of
applications. John Wiley & sons, Chichester,
particles and Hamiltonian dynamics. Springer-
England, 2001.
Verlag, New York, USA, 2003.
[2] H. Goldstein Classical mechanics 2nd edition. [8] A. Messiah Quantum mechanics Vol. I. John
Addison Wesley, Reading, USA, 1981. Wiley & sons, Chichester, England, 1958.