Non-Markovian Quantum Evolution: Time-Local Generators and Memory Kernels

In this paper we provide a basic introduction to the topic of quantum non-Markovian evolution presenting both time-local and memory kernel approach to the evolution of open quantum systems. We start with the standard notion of a classical Markovian stochastic process and generalize it to classical Markovian stochastic evolution which in turn becomes a starting point of the quantum setting. Our approach is based on the notion of P-divisible, CP-divisible maps and their refinements to k-divisible maps. Basic methods enabling one to detect non-Markovianity of the quantum evolution are also presented. Our analysis is illustrated by several simple examples.