RESEARCH ON NON-EQUILIBRIUM STATISTICAL PHYSICS.
Abstract
The research covered by the present report ranges over a large variety of topics. The introduction of a quasi-particle description has been shown to lead to a great formal simplification of the generalized kinetic equations, and of the expression for the non-equilibrium entropy; specific systems studied include anharmonic solids, classical gases, plasmas and many-fermion systems. The general relation between the equilibrium Gibbs definition and the non-equilibrium Boltzmann definition of entropy has been elucidated, and the resulting picture departs quite radically from the disorder or information theory image of entropy. The study of gravitational systems has led to a new type of long time evolution equation with interesting properties. The theory of unstable plasmas has been extended to the inhomogeneous case, and to situations with an external magnetic field. Further progress in plasma physics bears on the study of the generalized dielectric constant and of Cerenkov radiation. The hydrodynamical equations for a relativistic system have been derived from a statistical description, and exhibit novel features. Of particular significance is the progress achieved in setting up a covariant formulation of relativistic statistical mechanics. Finally the thermodynamical theory of the local potential has been applied to the study of the Soret effect, and has been extended to include the stability analysis of simple kinetic equations. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 31, 1966
- Accession Number
- AD0651069
Entities
People
- I. Prigogine