Questions tagged [statistical-physics]
The study of physical systems using probabilistic reasoning, especially relating small-scale classical mechanics to large-scale thermodynamics.
240 questions
0
votes
0
answers
71
views
Gibbs distribution via rigorous counting? [closed]
Consider the function $Dist: \mathbb{N} \times \mathbb{N} \to \mathbb{N}$ (natural numbers include $0$), by defining $Dist(E,N)$ to be the size of the set
$$
\{ (s_1, s_2, \ldots, s_N ) \in \mathbb{...
5
votes
2
answers
110
views
Properties of "Random Natural Packing Graphs"
This question is motivated by the following AI (Microsoft Copilot) generated image of urns with different proportions of blue and red marbles that I had requested and described in detail:
and also by ...
4
votes
1
answer
293
views
C^1 fractals in statistical mechanics
It is well-known--even famous--that the Schramm-Loewner curves appear as domain boundaries between phases at second-order critical points like the critical Ising model or percolation in two dimensions....
0
votes
0
answers
75
views
Could critical exponents $z\sim 2.7$ $z\sim2.7$, $\nu\sim 1.3$ in a non-equilibrium reaction–diffusion field indicate a new universality class?
I’m exploring a reaction–diffusion-type scalar field equation of the form
$$
∂_t K=D\nabla^2 K+SK(1-K)(K-K_*),
$$
where $D>0$, $S>0$, and $0<K_*<1$.
Numerical simulations in 2D produce the ...
2
votes
1
answer
146
views
Characterization of phase transition using Gibbs states
I am far from being an expert on the theory of Gibbs measures, but I know there is a criteria for phase transitions using uniqueness of infinite-volume Gibbs states. This goes roughly as follows. We ...
1
vote
0
answers
60
views
Expectation of a functional in a canonical ensemble of weighted bipartite graphs
Let $Q=(Q_{ij})_{1\le i,j\le N}$ be a nonnegative $N\times N$ matrix (investor $i$ investing a dollar amount in asset $j$).
From a given matrix $Q^\star$ (from a financial dataset), let
$$
r_i^\star=\...
9
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Nonnegativity of an alternating combinatorial sum
Let $u,a,b,n$ be nonnegative integers such that $n\le a+b$.
Define the quantity
$$
L(u,a,b,n):=
(u+a+b-n)!\times\sum_{i,k,\ell}\
\frac{(-1)^k\ \ (u+a+b-i)!\ (k+\ell)!\ (a+b-k-\ell)!\ (u+a+b-k-\ell)!}...
11
votes
1
answer
314
views
Roots of a family of polynomials forming shapes
Let $f$ be a smooth and strictly concave function on $[0,1]$, where $f(0)=f(1)=0$.
Let $F_n(x)=\underset{k=0}{\overset{n} \sum } \exp(nf(\frac kn))x^k$.
The roots of $F_n$ seems to form "shapes&...
0
votes
0
answers
136
views
Markov chain mixing: tools for proof?
I'm trying to understand some things about this theorem which comes from the triangle inequality for the transportation metric $\rho_K$:
Suppose the state space $\mathcal{X}$ of a Markov chain is the ...
3
votes
0
answers
101
views
Spin system with spin values from a discrete metric space
In this article Koehler and Mossel discuss a spin system with spin values from symmetric group $S_q$ for some $q$. They define the Hamiltonian as
$$
H(\sigma)=\sum_{i\sim j}d_\tau(\sigma_i,\sigma_j)
$$...
5
votes
2
answers
795
views
What's the current state of cluster expansions?
A classic reference on cluster expansions in mathematical physics (specially statistical mechanics) is these lecture notes by professor Brydges for a les Houches course in 1984 on the mentioned topic. ...
5
votes
1
answer
252
views
How to calculate S-matrix of critical 3-state Pott's model without considering W-algebra?
Let's consider the critical 3-state Potts model. According to conformal field theory, it corresponds to a CFT with a central charge $c=\frac{4}{5}$. However, there are 10 characters for $c=\frac{4}{5}$...
6
votes
2
answers
924
views
Explanation for why an ideal fluid doesn't have increasing entropy?
The equations of motion for a very simple ideal fluid (specifically a calorically perfect, monatomic, ideal gas) are \begin{align*}\dot{\rho}+\nabla \cdot (\rho u)=0 \;&\text{(mass conservation)} \...
5
votes
0
answers
197
views
What is the justification for using Wiener integrals to integrate over a space of differentiable functions?
In the literature on stiff/semiflexible polymer chains modelled as continuous chains rather than as discrete links, the partition function (among other things) is taken to be an integral over the ...
76
votes
3
answers
6k
views
Should water at the scale of a cell feel more like tar?
The Navier-Stokes equations are as follows,
$$\dot{u}+(u\cdot \nabla ) u +\nu \nabla^2 u =\nabla p$$
where $u$ is the velocity field, $\nu$ is the viscosity, and $p$ is the pressure.
Some elementary ...