A conservation law in quantum cellular automata (Q1102748)

In the present study we identify various general features governing the evolution of quantum cellular automata which have been introduced as a means of extending general systems theory into the quantum domain. It is found that a conservation law connects the strength of the mixing of locally interacting states and the periodicity of the large-scale (global) structures which develop during the evolution of quantum cellular automata. Moreover, for a large class of quantum cellular automata, the global patterns exhibit irreversible behavior.