Intriguing features of the distance between two arbitrary states of an open quantum system are identified that are induced by initial system-environment correlations. As an example, we analyze a qubit dephasingly coupled to a bosonic environment. Within tailored parameter regimes, initial correlations are shown to substantially increase the distance between two qubit states evolving to long-time-limit states according to exact non-Markovian dynamics. It exemplifies the breakdown of the distance contractivity of the reduced dynamics.

• Received 30 April 2010

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.82.012341