Level Repulsion in Integrable Systems

Abstract: Contrary to conventional wisdom, level repulsion in semiclassical spectrum is not just a feature of classically chaotic systems, but classically integrable systems as well. While in chaotic systems level repulsion develops on a scale of the mean level spacing, regardless of location in the spectrum, in integrable systems it develops on a much longer scale - geometric mean of the mean level spacing and the running energy in the spectrum. We show that at this scale level correlations in integrable systems have a universal dependence on level separation, as well as discuss their exact form at any scale. These correlations have dramatic consequences, including deviations from Poissonian statistics in the nearest level spacing distribution and persistent oscillations of level number variance as a function of the interval width. We illustrate our findings on two models - a rectangular infinite well and a modified Kepler problem - that serve as generic types of hard-wall billiards and potential problems. Our theory is based on the concept of parametric averaging, which allows for a statistical ensemble of integrable systems at a given spectral location (running energy).