Nonequilibrium Statistical Physics: Linear Irreversible Processes(Oxford Graduate Texts)

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.

Table of Contents:
1: Random variables and random processes 2: Linear thermodynamics of irreversible processes 3: Statistical description of out-of-equilibrium systems 4: Classical systems: reduced distribution functions 5: The Boltzmann equation 6: Transport coefficients 7: From the Boltzmann equation to the hydrodynamic equations 8: The Bloch-Boltzmann theory of electronic transport 9: Master equations 10: Brownian motion: the Langevin equation 11: Brownian motion: the Fokker-Planck equation 12: Linear responses and equilibrium correlations 13: General linear response theory 14: The fluctuation-dissipation theorem 15: Quantum theory of electronic transport 16: Thermal transport coefficients

About the Author :
Noëlle Pottier is Professor of Physics at Université Paris Diderot, `Matière et Systèmes Complexes' (MSC) laboratory.

Review :
`Its strength no doubt lies in showing how a large variety of subjects close to experimental interest are connected to a basis of fundamental statistical physics... This looks like an excellent book that is likely to keep its value when fashion changes. ' Henk Hilhorst, Université de Paris-Sud `An extremely thorough, complete and well written reference on all well established aspects of non equilibrium statistical physics and corresponding linear irreversible processes. The book grew out of lectures given over many years at the graduate level in Paris, and is very pedagogical, providing cases and easily accessible knowledge in well written chapters. ' Hubert Saleur, University of Southern California `The book is of high quality. It covers the important theoretical points and many interesting and important applications. ' Robert Mazo, University of Oregon