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Books > Science & Mathematics > Physics > Thermodynamics & statistical physics
Computer science and physics have been closely linked since the
birth of modern computing. In recent years, an interdisciplinary
area has blossomed at the junction of these fields, connecting
insights from statistical physics with basic computational
challenges. Researchers have successfully applied techniques from
the study of phase transitions to analyze NP-complete problems such
as satisfiability and graph coloring. This is leading to a new
understanding of the structure of these problems, and of how
algorithms perform on them.
This book is dedicated to the recent developments in RET with the aim to explore polyatomic gas, dense gas and mixture of gases in non-equilibrium. In particular we present the theory of dense gases with 14 fields, which reduces to the Navier-Stokes Fourier classical theory in the parabolic limit. Molecular RET with an arbitrary number of field-variables for polyatomic gases is also discussed and the theory is proved to be perfectly compatible with the kinetic theory in which the distribution function depends on an extra variable that takes into account a molecule's internal degrees of freedom. Recent results on mixtures of gases with multi-temperature are presented together with a natural definition of the average temperature. The qualitative analysis and in particular, the existence of the global smooth solution and the convergence to equilibrium are also studied by taking into account the fact that the differential systems are symmetric hyperbolic. Applications to shock and sound waves are analyzed together with light scattering and heat conduction and the results are compared with experimental data. Rational extended thermodynamics (RET) is a thermodynamic theory that is applicable to non-equilibrium phenomena. It is described by differential hyperbolic systems of balance laws with local constitutive equations. As RET has been strictly related to the kinetic theory through the closure method of moment hierarchy associated to the Boltzmann equation, the applicability range of the theory has been restricted within rarefied monatomic gases. The book represents a valuable resource for applied mathematicians, physicists and engineers, offering powerful models for potential applications like satellites reentering the atmosphere, semiconductors and nano-scale phenomena.
The primary goal of the book is to present the ideas and research findings of active researchers such as physicists, economists, mathematicians and financial engineers working in the field of "Econophysics," who have undertaken the task of modeling and analyzing systemic risk, network dynamics and other topics. Of primary interest in these studies is the aspect of systemic risk, which has long been identified as a potential scenario in which financial institutions trigger a dangerous contagion mechanism, spreading from the financial economy to the real economy. This type of risk, long confined to the monetary market, has spread considerably in the recent past, culminating in the subprime crisis of 2008. As such, understanding and controlling systemic risk has become an extremely important societal and economic challenge. The Econophys-Kolkata VI conference proceedings are dedicated to addressing a number of key issues involved. Several leading researchers in these fields report on their recent work and also review contemporary literature on the subject.
Complexity science has been a source of new insight in physical and social systems and has demonstrated that unpredictability and surprise are fundamental aspects of the world around us. This book is the outcome of a discussion meeting of leading scholars and critical thinkers with expertise in complex systems sciences and leaders from a variety of organizations, sponsored by the Prigogine Center at The University of Texas at Austin and the Plexus Institute, to explore strategies for understanding uncertainty and surprise. Besides contributions to the conference, it includes a key digest by the editors as well as a commentary by the late nobel laureate Ilya Prigogine, "Surprises in half of a century." The book is intended for researchers and scientists in complexity science, as well as for a broad interdisciplinary audience of both practitioners and scholars. It will well serve those interested in the research issues and in the application of complexity science to physical and social systems.
In this book, the authors give an up-to-date account of thermoluminescence (TL) and other thermally stimulated phenomena. Although most recent experimental results of TL in different materials are described in some detail, the main emphasis in the present book is on general processes, and the approach is more theoretical. Thus the details of the possible processes which can take place during the excitation of the sample, and during its heating, are carefully analysed. The methods for analysing TL glow curves are critically discussed, and recommendations as to their application are made. Also discussed is the expected behavior of these phenomena as functions of the experimental parameters, for example, dose of excitation. The consequences of the main applications of TL (for example, radiation dosimetry) are also discussed in detail as are the similarities and dissimilarities of other thermally stimulated phenomena, and the simultaneous measurements of the latter and TL.
Kinetic Theory of granular Gases provides an introduction to the rapidly developing theory of dissipative gas dynamics as it has been developed mainly during the past decade. The book is aimed at readers from the advanced undergraduate level onwards and leads up to the present state of research. The text is self-contained, in the sense that no mathematical or physical knowledge is required that goes beyond standard undergraduate physics courses. The material is adequate for a one-semester course and contains chapter summaries as well as exercises with detailed solutions. Special emphasis is put on a microscopically consistent description of pairwise particle collisions which leads to an impact-velocity dependent coefficient of restitution. The description of the many-particle system, based on the Boltzmann equation, starts with the derivation of the velocity distribution function, followed by the investigation of self-diffusion and Brownian motion. Using hydrodynamical methods, transport processes and self-organized structure formulation are studies. An appendix gives a brief introduction to event-driven molecular dynamics. A second appendix describes a novel mathematical technique for the derivation of the kinetic properties which allows for the application of computer algebra. The book is accompanied by a web page where the molecular dynamics program as well as the computer-algebra programs are provided.
This book draws on the latest research to discuss the history and development of high-entropy alloys and ceramics in bulk, film, and fiber form. High-entropy materials have recently been developed using the entropy of mixing and entropy of configuration of materials, and have proven to exhibit unique properties superior to those of conventional materials. The field of high-entropy alloys was born in 2004, and has since been developed for both scientific and engineering applications. Although there is extensive literature, this field is rapidly transforming. This book highlights the cutting edge of high-entropy materials, including their fundamentals and applications. Above all, it reflects two major milestones in their development: the equi-atomic ratio single-phase high-entropy alloys; and the non-equi-atomic ratio dual-phase high-entropy alloys.
This book presents the latest advances in ultrafast science, including both ultrafast optical technology and the study of ultrafast phenomena. It covers picosecond, femtosecond, and attosecond processes relevant to applications in physics, chemistry, biology, and engineering. Ultrafast technology has a profound impact in a wide range of applications, amongst them biomedical imaging, chemical dynamics, frequency standards, material processing, and ultrahigh-speed communications. This book summarizes the results presented at the 19th International Conference on Ultrafast Phenomena and provides an up-to-date view of this important and rapidly advancing field.
Since a formulated concept of functionally graded materials (FGMs) was proposed in 1984 as a means of preparing thermal barrier materials, a coordinated research has been developed since 1986. The 125 papers presented here present state of the art research results and developments on FGM from the past decade. A wide spectra of topics are covered including design and modeling, fracture analysis, powder metallurgical processes, deposition and spray processes, reaction forming processes, novel processes, material evaluation for structural applications, organic and intelligent materials. Three reviews associated with national research programs on FGMs promoted in Japan and Germany, and the historical perspective of FGM research in Europe are presented as well. The resulting work is recommended to researchers, engineers and graduate school students in the fields of materials science and engineering, mechanical and medical engineering.
This book is concerned with the prediction of thermodynamic and transport properties of gases and liquids. The prediction of such properties is essential for the solution of many problems encountered in chemical and process engineering as well as in other areas of science and technology. The book aims to present the best of those modern methods which are capable of practical application. It begins with basic scientific principles and formal results which are subsequently developed into practical methods of prediction. Numerous examples, supported by a suite of computer programmes, illustrate applications of the methods. The book is aimed primarily at the student market (for both undergraduate and taught postgraduate courses) but it will also be useful for those engaged in research and for chemical and process engineering professionals.
This book is concerned with the prediction of thermodynamic and transport properties of gases and liquids. The prediction of such properties is essential for the solution of many problems encountered in chemical and process engineering as well as in other areas of science and technology. The book aims to present the best of those modern methods which are capable of practical application. It begins with basic scientific principles and formal results which are subsequently developed into practical methods of prediction. Numerous examples, supported by a suite of computer programmes, illustrate applications of the methods. The book is aimed primarily at the student market (for both undergraduate and taught postgraduate courses) but it will also be useful for those engaged in research and for chemical and process engineering professionals.
This book deals with models and model-building in classical and quantum physics; it relies on logic and the philosophy of science as well as on modern mathematics. The reader will also find vistas into the history of ideas. The philosophical analysis is based on the separation of syntax and semantics, which is at the root of Kolmogorov's theory of probability; recursive functions and algorithmic complexity are used to discuss entropy and randomness. Basic concepts are discussed, together with concrete physical models for phase transitions, scaling, renormalization semigroups, and the irreversible approach to equilibrium. The book is intended for mathematicians, physicists and philosophers of science, both researchers and graduate students.
This is a graduate level monographic textbook in the field of Computational Intelligence. It presents a modern dynamical theory of the computational mind, combining cognitive psychology, artificial and computational intelligence, and chaos theory with quantum consciousness and computation. The book introduces to human and computational mind, comparing and contrasting main themes of cognitive psychology, artificial and computational intelligence.
The author investigates athermal fluctuation from the viewpoints of statistical mechanics in this thesis. Stochastic methods are theoretically very powerful in describing fluctuation of thermodynamic quantities in small systems on the level of a single trajectory and have been recently developed on the basis of stochastic thermodynamics. This thesis proposes, for the first time, a systematic framework to describe athermal fluctuation, developing stochastic thermodynamics for non-Gaussian processes, while thermal fluctuations are mainly addressed from the viewpoint of Gaussian stochastic processes in most of the conventional studies. First, the book provides an elementary introduction to the stochastic processes and stochastic thermodynamics. The author derives a Langevin-like equation with non-Gaussian noise as a minimal stochastic model for athermal systems, and its analytical solution by developing systematic expansions is shown as the main result. Furthermore, the a uthor shows a thermodynamic framework for such non-Gaussian fluctuations, and studies some thermodynamics phenomena, i.e. heat conduction and energy pumping, which shows distinct characteristics from conventional thermodynamics. The theory introduced in the book would be a systematic foundation to describe dynamics of athermal fluctuation quantitatively and to analyze their thermodynamic properties on the basis of stochastic methods.
Evolution is a critical challenge for many areas of science, technology and development of society. The book reviews general evolutionary facts such as origin of life and evolution of the genome and clues to evolution through simple systems. Emerging areas of science such as "systems biology" and "bio-complexity" are founded on the idea that phenomena need to be understood in the context of highly interactive processes operating at different levels and on different scales. This is where physics meets complexity in nature, and where we must begin to learn about complexity if we are to understand it. Similarly, there is an increasingly urgent need to understand and predict the evolutionary behavior of highly interacting man-made systems, in areas such as communications and transport, which permeate the modern world. The same applies to the evolution of human networks such as social, political and financial systems, where technology has tended to vastly increase both the complexity and speed of interaction, which is sometimes effectively instantaneous. The book contains reviews on such diverse areas as evolution experiments with microorganisms, the origin and evolution of viruses, evolutionary dynamics of genes and environment in cancer development, aging as an evolution-facilitating program, evolution of vision and evolution of financial markets.
This book presents a critical and modern analysis of the conceptual foundations of statistical mechanics as laid down in Boltzmann's works. The author emphasises the relation between microscopic reversibility and macroscopic irreversibility. Students will find a clear and detailed explanation of fundamental concepts such as equipartition, entropy and ergodicity. They will learn about Brownian motion, the modern treatment of the thermodynamic limit phase transitions, the microscopic and macroscopic theory of the coexistence of phases, statistical mechanics of stationary states, and fluctuations and dissipation in chaotic motions.
The domain of non-extensive thermostatistics has been subject to intensive research over the past twenty years and has matured significantly. Generalised Thermostatistics cuts through the traditionalism of many statistical physics texts by offering a fresh perspective and seeking to remove elements of doubt and confusion surrounding the area. The book is divided into two parts - the first covering topics from conventional statistical physics, whilst adopting the perspective that statistical physics is statistics applied to physics. The second developing the formalism of non-extensive thermostatistics, of which the central role is played by the notion of a deformed exponential family of probability distributions. Presented in a clear, consistent, and deductive manner, the book focuses on theory, part of which is developed by the author himself, but also provides a number of references towards application-based texts. Written by a leading contributor in the field, this book will provide a useful tool for learning about recent developments in generalized versions of statistical mechanics and thermodynamics, especially with respect to self-study. Written for researchers in theoretical physics, mathematics and statistical mechanics, as well as graduates of physics, mathematics or engineering. A prerequisite knowledge of elementary notions of statistical physics and a substantial mathematical background are required.
This thesis discusses in detail the measurement of the polarizations of all S-wave vector quarkonium states in LHC proton-proton collisions with the CMS detector. Heavy quarkonium states constitute an ideal laboratory to study non-perturbative effects of quantum chromodynamics and to understand how quarks bind into hadrons. The experimental results are interpreted through an original phenomenological approach, which leads to a coherent picture of quarkonium production cross sections and polarizations within a simple model, dominated by one single color-octet production mechanism. These findings provide new insights into the dynamics of heavy quarkonium production at the LHC, an important step towards a satisfactory understanding of hadron formation within the standard model of particle physics.
What do combustion engines, fusion reactors, weather forecast, ocean ?ows, our sun, and stellar explosions in outer space have in common? Of course, the physics and the length and time scales are vastly di?erent in all cases, but it is alsowellknownthatinallofthem,onsomerelevantlengthscales,thematerial ?ows that govern the dynamical and/or secular evolution of the systems are chaotic and often unpredictable: they are said to be turbulent. In fact, the term "turbulence" is used for an enormous variety of p- nomena in very di?erent ?elds, including geophysics, astrophysics, and - gineering. Unfortunately, these communities do not talk to each other too often. Therefore, back in 2005, we organized a workshop on "Interdis- plinary Aspects of Turbulence" at the Ringberg Castle in the Bavarian Alps, to discuss topics such as the basic concepts of turbulence, the di?- ent approaches of modelling and simulations used in the various areas, and also possible tests. This workshop was a great success and the proceedings can be found on the Internet (www.mpa-garching.mpg.de/mpa/publications/ proceedings/proceedings-en.html) as well as pdf-?les of several of the talks presented (www.mpa-garching. mpg.de/hydro/Turbulence/).
This book presents the ideas and industrial concepts in compact
heat exchanger technology that have been developed in the last 10
years or so. Historically, the development and application of
compact heat exchangers and their surfaces has taken place in a
piecemeal fashion in a number of rather unrelated areas,
principally those of the automotive and prime mover, aerospace,
cryogenic and refrigeration sectors. Much detailed technology,
familiar in one sector, progressed only slowly over the boundary
into another sector. This compartmentalisation was a feature both
of the user industries themselves, and also of the supplier, or
manufacturing industries. These barriers are now breaking down,
with valuable cross-fertilisation taking place.
This thesis represents the first systematic description of the two-phase flow problem. Two-phase flows of volatile fluids in confined geometries driven by an applied temperature gradient play an important role in a range of applications, including thermal management, such as heat pipes, thermosyphons, capillary pumped loops and other evaporative cooling devices. Previously, this problem has been addressed using a piecemeal approach that relied heavily on correlations and unproven assumptions, and the science and technology behind heat pipes have barely evolved in recent decades. The model introduced in this thesis, however, presents a comprehensive physically based description of both the liquid and the gas phase. The model has been implemented numerically and successfully validated against the available experimental data, and the numerical results are used to determine the key physical processes that control the heat and mass flow and describe the flow stability. One of the key contributions of this thesis work is the description of the role of noncondensables, such as air, on transport. In particular, it is shown that many of the assumptions used by current engineering models of evaporative cooling devices are based on experiments conducted at atmospheric pressures, and these assumptions break down partially or completely when most of the noncondensables are removed, requiring a new modeling approach presented in the thesis. Moreover, Numerical solutions are used to motivate and justify a simplified analytical description of transport in both the liquid and the gas layer, which can be used to describe flow stability and determine the critical Marangoni number and wavelength describing the onset of the convective pattern. As a result, the results presented in the thesis should be of interest both to engineers working in heat transfer and researchers interested in fluid dynamics and pattern formation.
Our contemporary understanding of brain function is deeply rooted in the ideas of the nonlinear dynamics of distributed networks. Cognition and motor coordination seem to arise from the interactions of local neuronal networks, which themselves are connected in large scales across the entire brain. The spatial architectures between various scales inevitably influence the dynamics of the brain and thereby its function. But how can we integrate brain connectivity amongst these structural and functional domains? Our Handbook provides an account of the current knowledge on the measurement, analysis and theory of the anatomical and functional connectivity of the brain. All contributors are leading experts in various fields concerning structural and functional brain connectivity. In the first part of the Handbook, the chapters focus on an introduction and discussion of the principles underlying connected neural systems. The second part introduces the currently available non-invasive technologies for measuring structural and functional connectivity in the brain. Part three provides an overview of the analysis techniques currently available and highlights new developments. Part four introduces the application and translation of the concepts of brain connectivity to behavior, cognition and the clinical domain. Written for: Researchers, engineers, graduate students in complexity, applied nonlinear dynamics, neuroscience
Newer Edition Available: Equilibrium Statistical Physics (3rd Edition)This revised and expanded edition of one of the important textbook in statistical physics, is a graduate level text suitable for students in physics, chemistry, and materials science.After a short review of basic concepts, the authors begin the discussion on strongly interacting condensed matter systems with a thorough treatment of mean field and Landau theories of phase transitions. Many examples are worked out in considerable detail. Classical liquids are treated next. Along with traditional approaches to the subject such as the virial expansion and integral equations, newer theories such as perturbation theory and density functional theories are introduced.The modern theory of phase transitions occupies a central place in this book. The development is along historical lines, beginning with the Onsager solution of the two-dimensional Ising model, series expansions, scaling theory, finite-size scaling, and the universality hypothesis. A separate chapter is devoted to the renormalization group approach to critical phenomena. The development of the basic tools is completed in a new chapter on computer simulations in which both Monte Carlo and molecular dynamics techniques are introduced.The remainder of the book is concerned with a discussion of some of the more important modern problems in condensed matter theory. A chapter on quantum fluids deals with Bose condensation, superfluidity, and the BCS and Landau-Ginzburg theories of superconductivity. A new chapter on polymers and membranes contains a discussion of the Gaussian and Flory models of dilute polymer mixtures, the connection of polymer theory to critical phenomena, a discussion of dense polymer mixtures and an introduction to the physical properties of solid and fluid membranes. A chapter on linear response includes the Kubo formalism, the fluctuation-dissipation theorem, Onsager relations and the Boltzmann equation. The last chapter is devoted to disordered materials.Each chapter contains a substantial number of exercises. A manual with a complete set of solutions to these problems is available under separate cover.
The Second Volume of Equilibrium between Phases of Matter, when compared with the First Volume, by H.A.J. Oonk and M.T. Calvet, published in 2008, amounts to an extension of subjects, and a deepening of understanding. In the first three sections of the text an extension is given of the theory on isobaric binary systems. The fourth section gives an account of the thermodynamic analyses of four isobaric binary key systems, highlighting the power of empirical, (exo)thermodynamic correlations. The fifth section is devoted to the thermodynamic description of ternary systems. The last three sections concentrate on the properties of materials, and the phase behaviour of systems under the conditions of high temperature and high pressure conditions that prevail in the interior of the Earth. A new equation of state is the subject of the sixth section. In the seventh section a move is made to statistical thermodynamics and vibrational models; the description of the systems has changed from mathematical to physical. The last section is on the system MgO SiO2, looked upon from a geophysical point of view. Throughout the work high priority is given to the thermodynamic assessment of experimental data; numerous end-of-section exercises and their solutions are included. Along with the First Volume, the work is useful for materials scientists and geophysicists as a reference text. Audience Volume II is a lecture book for postgraduate students in chemistry, chemical engineering, geology and metallurgy. It is highly useful as a recommended text for teachers and researchers in all fields of materials science. "
The book introduces readers to and summarizes the current ideas and theories about the basic mechanisms for transport in chaotic flows. Typically no single paradigmatic approach exists as this topic is relevant for fields as diverse as plasma physics, geophysical flows and various branches of engineering. Accordingly, the dispersion of matter in chaotic or turbulent flows is analyzed from different perspectives. Partly based on lecture courses given by the author, this book addresses both graduate students and researchers in search of a high-level but approachable and broad introduction to the topic. |
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