The time correlation functions for a Gaussian wave-packet preparation of the dissipative harmonic oscillator evolving from three initial conditions for the heat bath are calculated and compared with each other for Ohmic heat baths. The three initial distributions for the bath are the factorized, partially factorized, and unfactorized distributions. Explicit analytical formulas are derived and then used to study the effect of the three initial distributions on the subsequent dynamics. We find that the transient behavior does not depend sensitively on the initial condition as long as the initial Gaussian wave function of the system is centered at the equilibrium point. Differences become noticeable as the center of the wave packet is significantly shifted from the equilibrium point. These observations justify to some extent the prevalent use of factorized initial conditions for studying real time quantum dynamics in dissipative systems. The total energy in the system is also calculated for the three initial states and its relation to features in the decay is pointed out.

• Received 18 October 2007

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.77.021107