EDUCATION Revista Mexicana de Fı́sica E 64 (2018) 47–51 JANUARY–JUNE 2018

The one-dimensional harmonic oscillator damped with

Caldirola-Kanai Hamiltonian
Francis Segovia-Chaves
Programa de Fı́sica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales,
Universidad Surcolombiana, Huila-Colombia,
e-mail: francis.segoviac@gmail.com
Received 17 April 2017; accepted 31 October 2017

In this paper, the solution to the Hamilton-Jacobi equation for the one-dimensional harmonic oscillator damped with the Caldirola-Kanai
model is presented. Making use of a canonical transformation, we calculate the Hamilton characteristic function. It was found that the
position of the oscillator shows an exponential decay similar to that of the oscillator with damping where the decay is more pronounced when
increasing the damping constant γ. It is shown that when γ = 0, the behavior is of an oscillator with simple harmonic motion. However,
unlike the damped harmonic oscillator where the linear momentum decays with time, in the case of the oscillator with the Caldirola-Kanai
Hamiltonian, the momentum increases as time increases due to an exponential growth of the mass m(t) = meγt .

Keywords: Hamilton-Jacobi equations; Caldirola-Kanai Hamiltonian; damped harmonic oscillator.

PACS: 47.10.Df; 45.20.Jj; 45.20.D-

1. Introduction lator in an RLC linear circuit. The starting point for the un-
derstanding of dissipative systems can be established in 1931.
In the study of physical phenomena of a real system, models Historically, Bateman was the first to propose the time de-
are commonly used. A model is a well-defined mathematical pendent Hamiltonian in the classic context which describes
process associated with the real system which is the subject the damped oscillations [3]. Later on, P. Cardilora and E.
matter of study. These models represent a simplified version Kanai, independently constructed from Bateman’s Hamilto-
of the physical phenomenon. The selected model includes a nian, the Hamilton function of Caldirola-Kanai (HCK ) using
set of variables that completely characterize the system, in a time dependent canonical transformation [4,5]; with HCK
which a small number of interactions are omitted or taken the equation of motion is provided. This equation describes
into account. An example of the above is the interaction be- the behavior of a constant frequency and time-varying mass
tween particles forming a physical system in the presence of oscillator. A comparative study of this model with the Lane-
a conservative force field; in this case the total work exerted Emden damped harmonic oscillator model is carried out by
over the system on a closed path vanishes and at any point of Ozeren F. and Aguiar V. Works in the opposite direction have
the path its mechanical energy is constant, that is, the system been proposed using purely geometric considerations, to find
is conservative. Bateman’s Hamiltonian from that of Caldirola-Kanai [6-8].
Every physical system is not isolated, it is found inmersed
in a larger system called environment. The environment is Along with the birth of quantum mechanics birth, there
not manipulable due to the great number of degrees of free- has been a constant interest in the dissipative systems with
dom. Information on the evolution of the system can only the inherent difficulties to describe damping in the harmonic
be obtained from the phenomenological equations of motion. oscillator. In Schrödinger’s representation the HCK Hamil-
The latter is established from experimental information even tonian is used with the problem that quantization does not
when the explicit interaction is not known [1]. The majority comply with the uncertainty relations. Brittin carried out an
of physical phenomena are irreversible: diffusion and dissi- extensive study when addressing this type of quantum me-
pation are examples, whereby the mechanical energy is trans- chanical solutions that violate the uncertainty principle [9].
formed into heat. This dissipation can be observed through A attempt to overcome this difficulty is shown in Dedene’s
the interaction between the system of interest and its envi- work [10], who within the geometric field quantization de-
ronment [2]. Accordingly, and due to its complexity, an im- velops a sympletic formulation for the damped harmonic os-
portant issue of scientific interest is to study more real phys- cillator based on Dekker’s dynamic variables [11]. L. Pe-
ical systems where irreversible and dissipative properties are drosa, solved the Schrödinger’s equation using an auxiliary
present, whether or not its environment is known. function of Milney-Pinney’s equation, obtaining the wave
Dissipative systems are non-Hamiltonian. Among these function for HCK with and without the presence of a sin-
systems we can mention: Systems with macroscopic fric- gular potential [12]. A detailed research of two kinds of time
tion that can be well described by Newtonian mechanics, the dependent damped harmonic oscillators including oscillators
damped harmonic oscillator (probably the standard example with HCK is presented by Bessa V. As a result quantum solu-
of a dissipative system) which can be described through an tions through unitary transformations with Lewis-Reisenfeld
explicitly time-dependent Hamiltonian, and the loaded oscil- invariant method are obtained [13].
48 FRANCIS SEGOVIA-CHAVES

In addition to the methods described in the preceding Despite the fact that Euler sketched this first dynamic inter-
paragraph for studying dissipative systems in a quantum me- pretation of Maupertuis principle, the credit for the use of
chanical context, there is also the propagator evaluation. the principle of minimum action is attributed to Lagrange,
Cheng evaluates the propagator for HCK , and obtains the who with the purpose of defining the configuration of a sys-
time dependent wave function corresponding to the prop- tem of particles, introduced the concept of generalized co-
agator; nevertheless, the exact wave function is not ob- ordinates (qi , pi ) and using variational calculus obtained the
tained [14]. O. Roldan, presents the HCK model for the Euler Lagrange-Poisson Equation [23]
damped harmonic oscillator using path integrals to calcu- µ ¶
late the propagator with which the evolution of a squeezed ∂ ∂L ∂L
− =0 (2)
state is obtained, and variances of the position and momen- ∂t ∂ q˙i ∂qi
tum are calculated [15]. Currently, there are formally es-
Where L = T −V is the so-called Lagrange function. At this
tablished descriptions for studying dissipative systems such
point, we can establish that analytic mechanics is grounded
as Schrödinger-Langevin equation (derived from Heisen-
on scalar magnitudes, kinetics energy and potential energy.
berg equations of motion) [16], Weyl’s generalized quanti-
Magnitudes associated with the body and its motion, in this
zation [17], unitary transformations for damped and forced
formulation force has not been considered as a fundamental
harmonic oscillator [18], Schrödinger variational principle by
concept.
Razavy [19], and the stochastic method by Nelson [20].
In 1835, William Hamilton observed that equation (2) re-
As described throughout this work, the study of dissi-
ferred to only conservative systems, wherein potential V is
pative systems and in particular that of Caldirola-Kanai os-
only a function of the coordinates qi . Hamilton generalized
cillator, is a field under continuous research from classical
the results by including non-conservative systems for which
as well as from the quantum point of view. In this present
V = V (q˙i , qi , t) enunciating his principle known since then
work we are interested in presenting the method for solv-
as Hamilton’s Principle [24],
ing Hamilton-Jacobi equation for the oscillator damped with
Caldirola-Kanai Hamiltonian. The work has been organized Zt2
in the following manner: in Sec. 2 we present the fundamen- δ L(q˙i ,qi ,t)dt = 0 (3)
tal concepts of Lagrange and Hamilton-Jacobi equations, in
t1
Sec. 3 we present the Caldirola-Kanai Hamiltonian, in Sec. 4
the solution of Hamilton-Jacobi equation and in Sec. 5 the In addition, to a mechanical system whose dynamics is
obtained results and discussion. Finally, the conclusions and described by (2) in phase space it is associated with an
bibliography are given. H(q, p, t) function, named Hamiltonian function (Hamilto-
nian). In general, this function depends on the state variables
(qi , pi ) and on time t. The Hamiltonian of the mechanical
2. Lagrange and Hamilton-Jacobi equations system is given by:
Historically, the main statements of Newtonian mechanics X
are the three axioms, with which the solution to the motion H(q, p, t) = q˙i pi − L(q˙i ,qi , t) (4)
problem was proposed. Nevertheless, it is not the only con- i

ceptual scheme that allows to address that problem. The de- The above relation is a Legendre transformation which allows
velopment of classical mechanics was marked by two paths: to turn the set of Lagrangian’s variables into the set of Hamil-
vector mechanics and analytic mechanics [21]. Vector me- tonian variables, the generalized Hamilton equations are
chanics directly starts from the laws of motion. It is based
on linear momentum and force vectors. Knowing the forces dqi ∂H dpi ∂H
= , =− (5)
acting on a particle along with the initial conditions (position ∂t ∂pi ∂t ∂qi
and velocity) allows to describe its time evolution.
The path followed by analytic mechanics traces back to Let us go on now with Hamilton-Jacobi theory, widely de-
the XVIII century. In 1774, the French mathematician Pierre tailed in the classical mechanics texts, such as that of Gold-
Louis Moureau de Maupertuis, enunciated his famous prin- stein [25]. The Hamilton-Jacobi formalism central idea is to
ciple of minimum action. Starting from Fermat’s principle, search for a canonical transformation of coordinates and mo-
Moureau de Maupertuis used another quantity called action mentum (q, p) for a time t, into a new set of constant quan-
which is defined as the product of mass m, times the veloc- tities, which can be the initial values of (Q, P ) for t0 ; the
ity v and times the distance s travelled by the particle [22]. points (q, p) and (Q, P ) represent the state of the system at
In that same year, Euler wrote the Maupertuis principle of instants t and t0 . By definition, the transformation is canoni-
minimum action as follows: cal if Hamilton equation (5) are satisfied. As variables (Q, P )
Z Z represent the initial state of the system, these quantities do not
δ vds = δ v 2 dt = 0 (1) change with time. For this to happen, the transformed Hamil-
tonian H 0 (Q, P, t), cannot depend on either Q or P , that is,
H 0 must be identically zero.

Rev. Mex. Fis. E 64 (2018) 47–51

 THE ONE-DIMENSIONAL HARMONIC OSCILLATOR DAMPED WITH CALDIROLA-KANAI HAMILTONIAN 49

Then, every cyclic coordinate is related to a first integral with damping coefficient γ = λ/m and the oscillation fre-
(its conjugated momentum), so that a canonical transforma- quency w. The corresponding Caldirola-Kanai Hamiltonian
tion turning into a set of cyclic coordinates, would ensure the is obtained from (4),
resolution of a mechanical problem. The generating function µ 2 ¶
verifying the purpose that the new Hamiltonian was zero, is γt mq̇ mq 2 w2
H=e + (12)
called the Hamilton main function and is a second class gen- 2 2
erating function S(q, P, t) such that [26]:
apparently depending on t; however, it does not generally
∂S(q, p, t) represent dissipative systems but it does represent physical
H0 = H + =0 (6) systems with an exponentially increasing mass with time
∂t
m(t) = meγt .
with,
∂S ∂S
p= , Q=− (7) 4. Solution of Hamilton-Jacobi equation for
∂q ∂P
the oscillator with Caldirola-Kanai Hamil-
Given that H 0 = 0, all Q0 s are cyclic and their conjugated tonian
momentum are constant. The equation
µ ¶ Replacing in the Euler-Lagrange-Poisson equations (2) with
∂S ∂S (q, p, t) (11), the equation of a damped harmonic motion (10) is ob-
H q, ,t + =0 (8)
∂q ∂t tained. In the Herrera L.’s paper, it is proposed that in the mo-
tion of a damped system from a time t1 to t2 , the action [28]
is called Hamilton-Jacobi Equation and can be interpreted as
a partial differential equation for S. In this equation there are Zt2
n + 1 variables, the nq 0 s and time. The general solution for S= eγt L0 (q, q̇)dt (13)
S depends on n + 1 constants, one of them being additive. t1
As (8) depends on the S derivatives, then S + constant is
also a solution, since the additive constant is irrelevant in the has a stationary value for the correct movement path, where
canonical transformation. L0 is the Lagrangean of a conservative system, T − V . When
defining a canonical transformation

3. Caldirola-Kanai Hamiltonian Q = Q(q, p, t), P = P (q, p, t) (14)

Euler-Lagrange-Poisson equations (2) correspond to the the new canonical variables Q and P satisfy the variational
equations of motion of a system characterized by a La- principle,
grangean function. Unlike the simple harmonic oscillator Zt2
where one can easily obtain the equation of motion [27], δ eγt (P Q̇ − H 0 )dt = 0 (15)
in the case of the damped harmonic oscillator, obtaining the t1
equation of motion is not direct. A first attempt was presented 0
H is the new Hamiltonian. When considering the following
by Rayleigh, by introducing a dissipative function F in (2),
canonical transformations,
µ ¶
∂ ∂L ∂L ∂F
− + =0 (9) Q = qeγt/2 , P = pe−γt/2 (16)
∂t ∂ q˙i ∂q i ∂qi
the generating function is given by:
of the form of F = λq̇ 2 /2 [24]. The well-known equation of
motion for a damped harmonic oscillator is obtained F2 (q, p, t) = qP eγt/2 (17)
λq̇
q̈ + + w2 q = 0 (10) with,
2
∂F2 ∂F2
Although Eq. (10) represents the movement equation for p= = P eγt/2 , Q=− = qeγt/2 (18)
∂q ∂P
dissipative systems, it is a phenomenological description of
these systems as there is not any Lagrangean, nor any vari- The new Hamiltonian is
ational principle that has been involved. The first attempts ∂F 2 p2 1 γ
to understand this difficulty were presented by Bateman, H 0 (Q, P ) = H(q, p, t)− = + mw2 Q2 + QP (19)
∂t 2m 2 2
Caldirola and Kanai by presenting a Lagrangian which in the
Which does not explicitly depend on time, the Hamilton-Jacobi
case of a one-dimension is given by: equation for H 0 is
µ 2 ¶ µ ¶2
γt mq̇ mq 2 w2 1 ∂S 1 γ ∂S ∂S
L=e − (11) + mw2 Q2 + Q + =0 (20)
2 2 2 ∂Q 2 2 ∂Q ∂t

Rev. Mex. Fis. E 64 (2018) 47–51

50 FRANCIS SEGOVIA-CHAVES

In addition, we can separate the time variable with the ansatz

S(Q, α, t) = W (Q, α) − αt, with W the Hamilton characteristic
function, (20) is expressed in the form
µ ¶2
1 ∂W 1 γ ∂W
+ mw2 Q2 + Q =α (21)
2 ∂Q 2 2 ∂Q
∂W
Thus we obtain a quadratic equation in ∂Q
, its solution is

∂W γm 1p 2
=− Q± (γ − 4w2 )m2 Q2 + 8mα (22)
∂Q 2 2
After integrating (22) we found the characteristic function, the result
obtained was derived with respect to α. F IGURE 2. Variation of momentum p(t) for the oscillator with
Z Caldirola-Kanai Hamiltonian with γ < 0.4w.
∂W dQ
= ±2m p (23)
∂α (γ 2 − 4w2 )m2 Q2 + 8mα
From the above expression we solve for Q taking into account that
∂W /∂α = t + β, [24]
r
1 2α
Q(t) = ± sin[Ω(t + β)] (24)
Ω m
p
with Ω = w2 − (γ 2 /4), the constants α and β are determined
through the initial conditions. Finally the solution in terms of the
original variable (16) is:
r
1 2α −γt/2
q(t) = ± e sin[Ω(t + β)] (25)
Ω m
The above result represents the time variation of q with decreasing
amplitude: a similar behavior for the case of a damped harmonic
oscillator (sub-critically). Now we present the results obtained in F IGURE 3. Variation of momentum p(t) for the oscillator with
Sec. 3 making use of the mathematical package Wolfram Mathe- Caldirola-Kanai Hamiltonian with γ = 0.0.
matica 10.0.
Figure 2 represents the canonical momentum p(t) for a value of
the constant γ < 0.4w. It is observed that the behavior is different
5. Results and discussion from that expected one in a damped harmonic oscillator, where p(t)
For the Caldirola-Kanai oscillator, the equation of motion is identi- increases as time increases. This is due to the exponential increase
cal to Eq. (10). The variation of the position q(t) given by solution of the Caldirola-Kanai oscillator mass. Only when damping is null,
(25), is shown in Fig. 1 for the different values of the damping the behavior is identical to that of an oscillator with simple harmonic
constant. It has been observed that q(t) oscillates with a decreas- motion [23], see Fig. 3.
ing amplitude as γ increases and reaches zero for asymptotic times. Despite that from the Caldirola-Kanai Hamiltonian (12), the
The behavior shown is similar to that of a harmonic oscillator with equation of motion of a damped harmonic oscillator is obtained,
subcritical damping (γ < 2w). Furthermore, in the limit γ ≈ 0, it could be inferred that the mechanical energy must exponentially
the resulting motion is equal to that of a simple harmonic oscillator. decrease with t as it occurs with dissipative systems. However, this
The results obtained coincide with those reported in Ref. 7. Hamiltonian does not represent dissipative systems since when re-
placing (25) in (12) it is demonstrated that

µ ¶
2α γ2 £ ¤ γw £ ¤
H= w2 − cos 2Ωt0 − sin 2Ωt0 (26)
Ω2 4 2

with t0 = t + β. The time average value of (26) is

2α 2
hHi = w (27)
Ω2

Thus, it is proven that hHi is a constant as it was demonstrated by

F IGURE 1. Variation of position q(t) for different values of γ. J. Ray, [29] in 1979. The Lagrangean (11) and therefore Hamilto-
Color curves: black γ ≈ 0.0, red γ < w/2, blue γ < w and green nian (12) do not represent dissipative systems, but they do represent
γ < 2w. variable mass physical systems in the time.

Rev. Mex. Fis. E 64 (2018) 47–51

 THE ONE-DIMENSIONAL HARMONIC OSCILLATOR DAMPED WITH CALDIROLA-KANAI HAMILTONIAN 51

6. Conclusions Aguiar, and I. Guides, [7]. However, this system does not represent
a dissipative system as the momentum p(t) increases with time and
Within the Hamilton-Jacobi theoretical framework through the sep- it has been demonstrated that the time average value of the Hamil-
aration method of variables S(Q, α, t) = W (Q, α) − αt, we tonian is constant.
solved the equation of motion for the oscillator with Caldirola-Kanai
Hamiltonian. We found out that the exponential decrease with time Acknowledgments
of the position of the oscillator increases as the damping param-
eter increases; this behavior is identical to that of a sub-damped F.A. Segovia acknowledges the financial support from the Vicerrec-
harmonic oscillator. The results coincide with those reported in V. torı́a de Investigación, Universidad Surcolombiana Neiva-Huila.

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Rev. Mex. Fis. E 64 (2018) 47–51