In this talk I will describe dynamics of CSS codes in a quantum bath. I will argue that for simple codes like the toric code, this quantum open-system dynamics reduces to a classical markov chain on the set of syndromes. This allows you to reduce certain questions, like whether the code is self-correcting and stable to perturbations, to questions about this classical Markov chain.

Pizza and drinks will be served after the seminar in ATL 2117.