where a i are complex numbers and b is a real number. However, the first transformation destroys the orthonormality of the operators L i (unless all the γ i are equal) and the second transformation destroys the tracelessness. Therefore, up to degeneracies among the γ i, the L i of the diagonal form of the Lindblad equation are uniquely determined by the dynamics so long as we require them to be orthonormal and traceless.