The prediction of the response of a closed system to external perturbations is one of the central problems in quantum mechanics, and in this respect, the local density of states (LDOS) provides an in- depth description of such a response. The LDOS is
the distribution of the overlaps squared connecting the set of eigenfunctions with the perturbed one. Here, we show that in the case of closed systems with classically chaotic dynamics, the LDOS is a Breit-Wigner distribution under very general perturbations of arbitrary high intensity. Consequently, we derive a semiclassical expression for the width of the LDOS which is shown to be very accurate for paradigmatic systems of quantum chaos. This Letter demonstrates the universal response of quantum systems with classically chaotic dynamics.
Loschmidt echo (LE) is a measure of reversibility and sensitivity to perturbations of quantum evolutions. For weak perturbations its decay rate is given by the width of the local density of states (LDOS). When the perturbation is strong enough, it ha
s been shown in chaotic systems that its decay is dictated by the classical Lyapunov exponent. However, several recent studies have shown an unexpected non-uniform decay rate as a function of the perturbation strength instead of that Lyapunov decay. Here we study the systematic behavior of this regime in perturbed cat maps. We show that some perturbations produce coherent oscillations in the width of LDOS that imprint clear signals of the perturbation in LE decay. We also show that if the perturbation acts in a small region of phase space (local perturbation) the effect is magnified and the decay is given by the width of the LDOS.
