Statistical mechanics : entropy, order parameters, and complexity / James P. Sethna.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Sethna, James P.

Series:

Oxford master series in statistical, computational, and theoretical physics.

Oxford master series in physics ; 14.

Oxford master series in statistical, computational, and theoretical physics

Oxford master series in physics ; 14

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Statistical mechanics.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (372 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Oxford ; New York : Oxford University Press, 2006.

Summary:

Sethna's book distills the core ideas of statistical mechanics to make room for new advances important to information theory, complexity, and modern biology. Aimed at advanced undergraduates and early graduate students, Sethna's text explores everything from chaos through information theory to life at the end of the universe. - ;In each generation, scientists must redefine their fields: abstracting, simplifying and distilling the previous standard topics to make room for new advances and methods. Sethna's book takes this step for statistical mechanics - a field rooted in physics and chemistry

Contents:

What is statistical mechanics?

Random walks with emergent properties.

Temperature and equilibrium.

Phase-space dynamics and ergodicity.

Entropy.

Free energies.

Quantum statistical mechanics.

Calculation and computation.

Order parameters, broken symmetry, and topology.

Correlations, response, and dissipation.

Abrupt phase transitions.

Continuous phase transitions.

Appendix: Fourier methods.

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references (p. [313]-321) and index.

ISBN:

1-281-34137-1

0-19-156621-7

OCLC:

437109238