Nonequilibrium statistical mechanics of shear flow: invariant quantities and current relations

Stationary nonequilibrium statistical mechanics

Systems in stationary nonequilibrium are mechanical systems subject to nonconservative external forces and to thermostat forces which forbid indefinite increase of the energy and allow reaching statistically stationary states. A system Σ is described by the positions and velocities of its n particles X, Ẋ, with the particles positions confined to a finite volume container C0. If X = (x1, . . .,...

Elements of Nonequilibrium Statistical Mechanics

Currents in nonequilibrium statistical mechanics.

Nonzero currents characterize the nonequilibrium state in stochastic dynamics (or master equation) models of natural systems. In such models there is a matrix R of transition probabilities connecting the states of the system. We show that if the strength of a transition increases, so does the current along the corresponding bond. We also address the inverse problem: given a set of observed curr...

Dynamical Chaos and Nonequilibrium Statistical Mechanics

Chaos in the motion of atoms and molecules composing fluids is a new topic in nonequilibrium physics. Relationships have been established between the characteristic quantities of chaos and the transport coefficients thanks to the concept of fractal repeller and the escape-rate formalism. Moreover, the hydrodynamic modes of relaxation to the thermodynamic equilibrium as well as the nonequilibriu...

Atomism, Boltzmann and nonequilibrium statistical mechanics

We often try to infer reality of objects, or concepts, by assuming their existence or consistence and deducing consequences so extreme in appearance, with respect to the starting assumptions, to imply the searched reality, once their truth can be be checked. This process has been behind many of the great advances in Science, in Physics at least. As an example I am thinking of the "aristotelian"...