Population relaxation ($T_1^{-1}={\gamma }_{12}+{\gamma }_{21}$)

For a two-level density operator, rates ${\gamma }_{12}$ from level one to two and ${\gamma }_{21}$ in the reverse direction give ${\dot{p}}_1=-{\gamma }_{12}{p}_1+{\gamma }_{21}{p}_2$. Their sum sets the longitudinal population relaxation rate, and their ratio fixes the stationary population imbalance. If both rates vanish, populations are conserved.