Non-equilibrium Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics: Foundations and Applications

by Phil Attard

`Non-equilibrium Thermodynamics and Statistical Foundations and Applications' builds from basic principles to advanced techniques, and covers the major phenomena, methods, and results of time-dependent systems. It is a pedagogic introduction, a comprehensive reference manual, and an original research monograph. Uniquely, the book treats time-dependent systems by close analogy with their static counterparts, with most of the familiar results of equilibrium thermodynamics and statistical mechanics being generalized and applied to the non-equilibrium case. The book is notable for its unified treatment of thermodynamics, hydrodynamics, stochastic processes, and statistical mechanics, for its self-contained, coherent derivation of a variety of non-equilibrium theorems, and for its quantitative tests against experimental measurements and computer simulations.

Systems that evolve in time are more common than static systems, and yet until recently they lacked any over-arching theory. 'Non-equilibrium Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics' is unique in its unified presentation of the theory of non-equilibrium systems, which has now reached the stage of quantitative experimental and computational verification. The novel perspective and deep understanding that this book brings offers the opportunity for new direction and growth in the study of time-dependent phenomena.

'Non-equilibrium Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics' is an invaluable reference manual for experts already working in the field. Research scientists from different disciplines will find the overview of time-dependent systems stimulating and thought-provoking. Lecturers in physics and chemistry will be excited by many fresh ideas and topics, insightful explanations, and new approaches. Graduate students will benefit from its lucid reasoning and its coherent approach, as well as from the catalogue of mathematical techniques, derivations, and computer algorithms.

480 pages, Hardcover

First published September 10, 2012

Reviews

[rohola zandie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book might be the best introduction to thermodynamics for readers with a computational background. The first chapter begins with fundamental questions about the nature of entropy and its definitions by Clausius, Boltzmann, and Gibbs. While these definitions may seem equivalent at first glance, their subtle differences have profound implications. The author introduces the concept of "second entropy," which pertains to transitions between states rather than a single state. This idea extends naturally to "n-entropy," or the entropy of a thermodynamic path, a cornerstone of modern non-equilibrium thermodynamics.

The author also dedicates significant attention to essential topics often overlooked in similar texts, such as coarse-graining and the nature of probability. These foundational discussions provide a more nuanced understanding of thermodynamic systems.

In the second chapter, the book explores how these concepts lead naturally to fluctuation theory, using the second entropy of Gaussian distributions as a key example.

The other chapters are also interesting but falls into the usual thermodynamic textbooks that we know and love.