Evaluation of an algebraic model for the vibrations of water, effects of a discrete symmetry

Abstract

We evaluate the dynamics of an algebraic model Hamiltonian for the vibrational motion of the water molecule. We pay special attention to the effects of the discrete symmetry of order 2 of the model. For a comparison between the quantum dynamics and the classical dynamics it is necessary to desymmetrize such quantum states which are based on types of motion which come in symmetry related pairs. For the other states based on motion invariant under the symmetry operation a desymmetrization would be meaningless. The desymmetrized quantum states show a simple connection to the guiding motions of the classical dynamics which can be used for a complete assignment of the states even though the system is not integrable in the sense of Liouville and shows chaotic behaviour in large parts of the classical phase space.

Acknowledgement

We thank CONACyT for support under grant number 33773-E and DGAPA for support under grant number IN-109201.