This book covers some fundamental aspects and frontiers in non-equilibrium physics and soft matter research. Apart from the basic knowledge on nonlinear statistic physics, dynamics, computer simulations, and main approaches and emerging systems in soft matter research, particular attention is devoted to new conceptual flexible functional materials and the enriching areas, such as silk meso-molecular materials, molecular gels, liquid crystals, flexible electronics and new types of catalysis, etc. One of the main characteristics of this book is to start with the structure formation dynamics and the correlation between the structures and macroscopic performance. This lays down the foundation for the mesoscopic materials design and functionalization. The book is intended for upper undergraduate students, graduate students, and researchers who are interested in soft matter researches. As one of main references, the basic principles and technologies of computer simulations and experimental methods adopted in soft matter research are also explained. Illustrations and tables are included in this book to improve the readability, and examples and exercises are added to help understanding.

Nucleation is the initial step of every first-order phase transition, and most phase transitions encountered both in everyday life and industrial processes are of the first-order. Using an elegant classical theory based on thermodynamics and kinetics, this book provides a fully detailed picture of multi-component nucleation. As many of the issues concerning multi-component nucleation theory have been solved during the last 10-15 years, it also thoroughly integrates both fundamental theory with recent advances presented in the literature.

Classical Nucleation Theory in Multicomponent Systems serves as a textbook for advanced thermodynamics courses, as well as an important reference for researchers in the field. The main topics covered are: the basic relevant thermodynamics and statistical physics; modelling a molecular cluster as a spherical liquid droplet; predicting the size and composition of the nucleating critical clusters; kinetic models for cluster growth and decay; calculating nucleation rates; and a full derivation and application of nucleation theorems that can be used to extract microscopic cluster properties from nucleation rate measurements.

The assumptions and approximations needed to build the classical theory are described in detail, and the reasons why the theory fails in certain cases are explained. Relevant problems are presented at the end of each chapter.

Properties of systems with long range interactions are still poorly understood despite being of importance in most areas of physics. The present volume introduces and reviews the effort of constructing a coherent thermodynamic treatment of such systems by combining tools from statistical mechanics with concepts and methods from dynamical systems. Analogies and differences between various systems are examined by considering a large range of applications, with emphasis on Bose--Einstein condensates. Written as a set of tutorial reviews, the book will be useful for both the experienced researcher as well as the nonexpert scientist or postgraduate student.

Absolute concepts of time and energy are integral to standard thermal physics, but background independent systems are devoid of them. This thesis explores the foundational question of generalising equilibrium statistical mechanics to background independent systems, and applies the resulting formulation to non-perturbative discrete quantum gravity. It offers a discussion of the rich interface of thermal physics and quantum gravity in this context, providing a broad contextualisation of such topics. This work details how standard tools from many-body physics can be generalised to discrete quantum gravity labelled with graph-based, or dual polyhedral, quanta that are common to various approaches like tensorial group field theory, loop quantum gravity, dynamical triangulations and lattice quantum gravity. It provides a systematic investigation, both conceptual and technical, of quantum gravitational Gibbs states, thermofield double vacuum states, and their application in condensate cosmology to probe questions of Big Bang singularity resolution and geometric inflation.

The book describes the thermodynamics, fluid dynamics, and working principle of the Ranque Hilsch Vortex Tube. Although vortex tubes have been around for a long time, different explications of their fundamental physics and operation can be found in literature and on the internet. This volume investigates the working principle based on thermodynamics and fluid dynamics. It provides full explication of these parameters in one single work along with results of new investigations not published elsewhere. In addition, the book features a wealth of illustrations on various aspects of the vortex tube that make it easy to read and understand.

The nonequilibrium behavior of nanoscopic and biological systems, which are typically strongly fluctuating, is a major focus of current research. Lately, much progress has been made in understanding such systems from a thermodynamic perspective. However, new theoretical challenges emerge when the fluctuating system is additionally subject to time delay, e.g. due to the presence of feedback loops. This thesis advances this young and vibrant research field in several directions. The first main contribution concerns the probabilistic description of time-delayed systems; e.g. by introducing a versatile approximation scheme for nonlinear delay systems. Second, it reveals that delay can induce intriguing thermodynamic properties such as anomalous (reversed) heat flow. More generally, the thesis shows how to treat the thermodynamics of non-Markovian systems by introducing auxiliary variables. It turns out that delayed feedback is inextricably linked to nonreciprocal coupling, information flow, and to net energy input on the fluctuating level.

This monograph is devoted to an entirely new branch of nonlinear physics - solitary intrinsic states, or autosolitons, which form in a broad class of physical, chemical and biological dissipative systems. Autosolitons are often observed as highly nonequilibrium regions in slightly nonequilibrium systems, in many ways resembling ball lightning which occurs in the atmosphere. We develop a new approach to problems of self-organization and turbulence, treating these phenomena as a result of spontaneous formation and subsequent evolution of autosolitons. Scenarios of self-organization involve sophisticated interactions between autosolitons, whereas turbulence is regarded as a pattern of autosolitons which appear and disappear at random in different parts of the system. This monograph is the first attempt to provide a comprehensive summary of the theory of autosolitons as developed by the authors over the years of research. The monograph is comprised of three more or less autonomous parts. Part I deals with the physical nature and experimental studies of autosolitons and self organization in various physical systems: semiconductor and gas plasma, heated gas mixture, semiconductor structures, composite superconductors, optical and magnetic media, systems with uniformly generated combustion matter, distributed gas-discharge and electronic systems. We discuss feasibility of autosolitons in the form of highly nonequilibrium regions in slightly nonequilibrium gases and semiconductors, "hot" and "cold" regions in semiconductor and gas plasmas, static, pulsating and traveling combustion fronts."

Over the years enormous effort was invested in proving ergodicity, but for a number of reasons, con?dence in the fruitfulness of this approach has waned. - Y. Ben-Menahem and I. Pitowsky [1] Abstract The basic motivation behind the present text is threefold: To give a new explanation for the emergence of thermodynamics, to investigate the interplay between quantum mechanics and thermodynamics, and to explore possible ext- sions of the common validity range of thermodynamics. Originally, thermodynamics has been a purely phenomenological science. Early s- entists (Galileo, Santorio, Celsius, Fahrenheit) tried to give de?nitions for quantities which were intuitively obvious to the observer, like pressure or temperature, and studied their interconnections. The idea that these phenomena might be linked to other ?elds of physics, like classical mechanics, e.g., was not common in those days. Such a connection was basically introduced when Joule calculated the heat equ- alent in 1840 showing that heat was a form of energy, just like kinetic or potential energy in the theory of mechanics. At the end of the 19th century, when the atomic theory became popular, researchers began to think of a gas as a huge amount of bouncing balls inside a box.

This book presents different thermodynamic approaches in the area of constitutive theory: thermodynamics of irreversible processes, rational thermodynamics, and extended thermodynamics. These different approaches are analyzed with respect to their presuppositions, as well as to their results, and each method is applied to several important examples. In many cases these examples are archetypes for numerous technologically important materials; i.e. complex materials having an internal structure. Some of the examples dealt with in this book are liquid crystals, colloid suspensions, ans fiber suspensions. The book well serves students and researchers who have basic knowledge in continuum mechanics and thermodynamics. It provides a systematic overview of the vast field of thermodynamic constitutive theory, beginning from a historical perspective and concluding with outstanding questions in recent research.

This textbook presents the classical treatment of the problems of heat transfer in an exhaustive manner with due emphasis on understanding of the physics of the problems. This emphasis will be especially visible in the chapters on convective heat transfer. Emphasis is also laid on the solution of steady and unsteady two-dimensional heat conduction problems. Another special feature of the book is a chapter on introduction to design of heat exchangers and their illustrative design problems. A simple and understandable treatment of gaseous radiation has been presented. A special chapter on flat plate solar air heater has been incorporated that covers mathematical modeling of the air heater. The chapter on mass transfer has been written looking specifically at the needs of the students of mechanical engineering. The book includes a large number and variety of solved problems with supporting line diagrams. A number of application-based examples have been incorporated where applicable. The end-of-chapter exercise problems are supplemented with stepwise answers. Though the book has been primarily designed to serve as a complete textbook for undergraduate and graduate students of mechanical engineering, it will also be useful for students of chemical, aerospace, automobile, production, and industrial engineering streams. The book fully covers the topics of heat transfer coursework and can also be used as an excellent reference for students preparing for competitive graduate examinations.

This book is based on the premise that the entropy concept, a fundamental element of probability theory as logic, governs all of thermal physics, both equilibrium and nonequilibrium. The variational algorithm of J. Willard Gibbs, dating from the 19th Century and extended considerably over the following 100 years, is shown to be the governing feature over the entire range of thermal phenomena, such that only the nature of the macroscopic constraints changes. Beginning with a short history of the development of the entropy concept by Rudolph Clausius and his predecessors, along with the formalization of classical thermodynamics by Gibbs, the first part of the book describes the quest to uncover the meaning of thermodynamic entropy, which leads to its relationship with probability and information as first envisioned by Ludwig Boltzmann. Recognition of entropy first of all as a fundamental element of probability theory in mid-twentieth Century led to deep insights into both statistical mechanics and thermodynamics, the details of which are presented here in several chapters. The later chapters extend these ideas to nonequilibrium statistical mechanics in an unambiguous manner, thereby exhibiting the overall unifying role of the entropy.

This book is based on the analogy between contact mechanics and fracture mechanics as proposed by the author about twenty years ago. It starts with a chapter devoted to the surface energy and tension of solids and surface thermodynamics, which is followed by a chapter on elastic recall. The methods of Muskhelichvili and Hankel transforms for the resolution of plane and axisymmetric problems are studied. Then the essential conepts of fracture mechanics are presented with emphasis on the thermodynamic aspect of the problem. The reader will find complete analytical results and detailed calculations for cracks submitted to pressure distributions and the Dugdale model, as well as a chapter on contact mechanics. The contact and adherence of rough solids is also studied. This book is intended for advanced students and researchers working in the fields of fracture mechanics or adhesion.

Radiation theory and measurements are at the core of the climate change debate. This new book describes in detail the basic physics used in the radiative transfer codes that are a key part of climate prediction models. The basic principles are extended to the atmospheres of the Earth and the other planets, illustrating the greenhouse effect and other radiation-based phenomena at work. Several chapters deal with the techniques and measurements for monitoring the Earth's radiation budget and thus tracking global change and its effects. Remote sensing instruments on satellites and the theory of remote sensing are also covered. The book is the first comprehensive new publication on atmospheric radiation in more than a decade, and the first to link the theoretical and experimental aspects of the subject to the contemporary climate problem.

This book comprises selected papers from the International Conference on Numerical Heat Transfer and Fluid Flow (NHTFF 2018), and presents the latest developments in computational methods in heat and mass transfer. It also discusses numerical methods such as finite element, finite difference, and finite volume applied to fluid flow problems. Providing a good balance between computational methods and analytical results applied to a wide variety of problems in heat transfer, transport and fluid mechanics, the book is a valuable resource for students and researchers working in the field of heat transfer and fluid dynamics.

Existing texts on the statistical mechanics of liquids treat only spherical molecules. However, nearly all fluids of practical interest are composed of non-spherical molecules that are often dipolar or exhibit other kinds of electrostatic forces. This book describes the statistical mechanical theory of fluids of non-spherical molecules and its application to the calculation of physical properties, and is a sequel to Theory of Molecular Fluids. Volume 1: Fundamentals by C.G. Gray and K.E. Gubbins. The emphasis is on the new phenomena that arise due to the non-spherical nature of the intermolecular forces, such as new phase transitions, structural features and dielectric effects. It contains chapters on the thermodynamic properties of pure and mixed fluids, surface properties, X-ray and neutron diffraction structure factors, dielectric properties and spectroscopic properties. The book is aimed at beginning graduate students and research workers in chemistry, physics, materials science and engineering.

Energy is typically regarded as understandable, despite its multiple forms of storage and transfer. Entropy, however, is an enigma, in part because of the common view that it represents disorder. That view is flawed and hides entropy's connection with energy. In fact, macroscopic matter stores internal energy, and that matter's entropy is determined by how the energy is stored. Energy and entropy are intimately linked. Energy and Entropy: A Dynamic Duo illuminates connections between energy and entropy for students, teachers, and researchers. Conceptual understanding is emphasised where possible through examples, analogies, figures, and key points. Features: Qualitative demonstration that entropy is linked to spatial and temporal energy spreading, with equilibrium corresponding to the most equitable distribution of energy, which corresponds to maximum entropy Analysis of energy and entropy of matter and photons, with examples ranging from rubber bands, cryogenic cooling, and incandescent lamps to Hawking radiation of black holes Unique coverage of numerical entropy, the 3rd law of thermodynamics, entropic force, dimensionless entropy, free energy, and fluctuations, from Maxwell's demon to Brownian ratchets, plus attempts to violate the second law of thermodynamics

This book presents the results of scientific research performed over the past two decades by the authors. The book discusses some issues of separated laminar flows that are of great practical interest for the development of new technologies using microchannel flows, where separation zones can form. Of particular interest is the complex mechanism of flow separation with superimposed high external turbulence. The challenges of finding the optimal location for the cavities and fins on heat exchange surfaces are also considered. This is an important fundamental and practical problem when creating new schemes of efficient heat exchangers in various power plants. A wide class of problems of turbulent flow in tubes with flow separation is considered. These data will be useful in engineering estimates of the thermal-hydraulic efficiency of various heat transfer intensifiers. This book focuses on the analysis of thermal characteristics of separated flows, as well as the possibility of controlling the intensity of heat exchange processes, from the point of view of both their intensification and their suppression.

This book presents a collection of essays that explore the life and works of Tatjana Afanassjewa (1876-1964), a Russian-Dutch physicist-mathematician. Readers will discover a scientist whose work on the foundations of thermodynamics significantly influenced the field itself as well as the philosophy of physics. This book highlights the philosophical consequences of her work in physics and mathematics and discusses historical aspects of her writings on the foundations of physics. In addition, it features English translations and critical reviews of key selections from her texts. First and foremost, the book highlights the numerous contributions that Afanassjewa made to the field. In particular, the authors examine her work on the foundations of thermodynamics and statistical physics, starting in the 1920s and extending to 1956, well after the untimely death of her husband in 1933. They also explore her almost entirely forgotten work on the didactics of mathematics. In addition, they discuss her influential collaboration with her husband, the Austrian physicist Paul Ehrenfest (1880-1933). The portrait that emerges is that of a highly original physicist and mathematician, whose legacy continues to influence scientists and philosophers today and whose lesser-known works deserve more attention than they have received. Readers will find a rich body of work that continues to this day to yield insights into the foundations of physics and mathematics.

This book is part of a set of books which offers advanced students successive characterization tool phases, the study of all types of phase (liquid, gas and solid, pure or multi-component), process engineering, chemical and electrochemical equilibria, and the properties of surfaces and phases of small sizes. Macroscopic and microscopic models are in turn covered with a constant correlation between the two scales. Particular attention has been given to the rigor of mathematical developments. This second volume in the set is devoted to the study of liquid phases.

While systems at equilibrium are treated in a unified manner through the partition function formalism, the statistical physics of out-of-equilibrium systems covers a large variety of situations that are often without apparent connection. This book proposes a unified perspective on the whole set of systems near equilibrium: it brings out the profound unity of the laws which govern them and gathers a large number of results usually fragmented in the literature. The reader will find in this book a pedagogical account of the fundamental results: physical origins of irreversibility, fluctuation-dissipation theorem, Boltzmann equation, linear response, Onsager relations, transport phenomena, Langevin and Fokker-Planck equations. The book's comprehensive organisation makes it valuable both as a textbook about irreversible phenomena and as a reference book for researchers.

Functionality, Advancements and Industrial Applications of Heat Pipes introduces heat pipe technologies and highlights a variety of applications for passive thermal control. The book begins with a thorough analysis of heat pipe infrastructure, including principles of operation, temperature limits, reliability and lessons learned from worked examples and case studies. It also presents a concise design guideline for the assembly of heat pipes. The second part moves on to consider a variety of modern day applications for the heat pipe principles discussed, covering nuclear and solar thermal energy engineering facilities as well as applications in space, in the sea and in the air. A final section works through manufacturing elements of different types of heat pipe to ensure they are well maintained and remain fully operational. This section includes the cleaning of parts, the assembly of the heat pipe, an analysis of gas blockages and how to deal with them, as well as performance versification.

This book contains the courses given at the Fifth School on Complex Systems held at Santiago, Chile, from 9th .to 13th December 1996. At this school met researchers working on areas related with recent trends in Complex Systems, which include dynamical systems, cellular automata, symbolic dynamics, spatial systems, statistical physics and thermodynamics. Scientists working in these subjects come from several areas: pure and applied mathematics, physics, biology, computer science and electrical engineering. Each contribution is devoted to one of the above subjects. In most cases they are structured as surveys, presenting at the same time an original point of view about the topic and showing mostly new results. The paper of Bruno Durand presents the state of the art on the relationships between the notions of surjectivity, injectivity and reversibility in cellular automata when finite, infinite or periodic configurations are considered, also he discusses decidability problems related with the classification of cellular automata as well as global properties mentioned above. The paper of Eric Goles and Martin Matamala gives a uniform presentation of simulations of Turing machines by cellular automata. The main ingredient is the encoding function which must be fixed for all Turing machine. In this context known results are revised and new results are presented.

The principal objective of this book is to provide information needed to define human thermal behavior quantitatively. Human thermal physiology is defined using mathematical methods routinely employed by physicists and engineers, but seldom used by physiologists. Major sections of the book are devoted to blood flow, sweating, shivering, heat transfer within the body, and heat and mass transfer from skin and clothing to the environment. Simple algebraic models based on experimental data from a century of physiological investigation are developed for bodily processes. The book offers an invaluable source of information for physiologists and physical scientists interested in quantitative approaches to the fascinating field of human thermoregulation.

This thesis demonstrates the potential of two platforms to explore experimentally the emerging field of quantum thermodynamics that has remained mostly theoretical so far. It proposes methods to define and measure work in the quantum regime. The most important part of the thesis focuses on hybrid optomechanical devices, evidencing that they are proper candidates to measure directly the fluctuations of work and the corresponding fluctuation theorem. Such devices could also give rise to the observation of mechanical lasing and cooling, based on mechanisms similar to a heat engine. The final part of the thesis studies how quantum coherence can improve work extraction in superconducting circuits. All the proposals greatly clarify the concept of work since they are based on measurable quantities in state of the art devices.