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Statistical Physics of Non-Thermal Phase Transitions

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Statistical physics describes a wide variety of phenomena and systems when interaction forces may have different natures: mechanical, electromagnetic, strong
nuclear, etc. The commonality that unites all these systems is that their belonging to
statistical physics requires the presence of thermal fluctuations. In this sense these
phenomena necessarily include the thermodynamic aspect.
Meanwhile, the second half of the last century may be named the time of the
discovery of the so-called complex systems. These systems belong to chemistry,
biology, ecology, geology, economics, social sciences, etc. and are generally united
by the absence of concepts such as temperature or energy. Instead, their behavior is
governed by stochastic laws of nonthermodynamic nature; and these systems can
be called nonthermal. Nevertheless, in spite of this principal difference with statistical physics, it was discovered that the behavior of complex systems resembles the
behavior of thermodynamic systems. In particular, many of these systems possess a
phase transition identical to critical or spinodal phenomenon of statistical physics.
This very analogy has led in recent years to many attempts to generalize the formalism of statistical physics so that it would become applicable and for nonthermal
systems also. If we achieved this goal, the powerful, well-developed machinery of
statistical physics would help us to explain phenomena such as petroleum clusters,
polymerization, DNA mechanism, informational processes, traffic jams, cellular
automata, etc. Or, better, we might be able to predict and prevent catastrophes such
as earthquakes, snow-avalanches and landslides, failure of engineering structures,
economical crises, etc.

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Detail Information

Series Title

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Call Number

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Publisher

London : Springer., 2015

Collation

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Language

English

ISBN/ISSN

978-3-319-12469-8

Classification

NONE

Content Type

text

Media Type

computer

Carrier Type

online resource

Edition

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Subject(s)

Statistics

Specific Detail Info

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Statement of Responsibility

Sergey G. Abaimov

Other Information

Cataloger

Jemadi

Source

https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/978-3-319-12469-8.pdf?pdf=button

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