Lectures on Selected Topics in Statistical Mechanics

Lectures on Selected Topics in Statistical Mechanics is a collection of lectures given at the 1971 Simla Summer School of Statistical Mechanics held in India. The lectures explore a wide range of topics related to statistical mechanics, including occupation number representation; the Green function method; the pair Hamiltonian model of an imperfect Bose gas; fluctuations in a perfect Bose gas; and the equation of state of an imperfect gas. A simple derivation of the Bloch equation is also presented, along with the statistical mechanics of stellar systems. Comprised of eight chapters, this volume begins with a discussion on the occupation number representation by considering some relevant formulae from ensemble theory. Classical petit and grand ensembles are described, together with quanta1 petit and grand ensembles. Subsequent chapters focus on the Green function method in statistical mechanics; the pair Hamiltonian model of the imperfect Bose gas and its solution in the absence of Bose-Einstein condensation using Green function methods and diagrammatic techniques; fluctuations in a perfect Bose gas; the equation of state of an imperfect gas; and a simple derivation of the Bloch equation. Finally, the statistical mechanics of stellar systems and an approach to equilibrium are described. This book will be of interest to physicists.