Generators of Detailed Balance Quantum Markov Semigroups

For a quantum Markov semigroup [Formula: see text] on the algebra [Formula: see text] with a faithful invariant state ρ, we can define an adjoint [Formula: see text] with respect to the scalar product determined by ρ. In this paper, we solve the open problems of characterizing adjoints [Formula: see text] that are also a quantum Markov semigroup and satisfy the detailed balance condition in terms of the operators H, L k in the Gorini–Kossakowski–Sudarshan–Lindblad representation [Formula: see text] of the generator of [Formula: see text]. We study the adjoint semigroup with respect to both scalar products 〈a, b〉 = tr (ρa*b) and 〈a, b〉 = tr (ρ 1/2 a*ρ 1/2 b).