Statistical Mechanics of Disordered Systems: A Mathematical Perspective

ISBN-13: 9780521849913 / Angielski / Twarda / 2006 / 328 str.

Anton Bovier; R. Gill; B. D. Ripley

Opis

This self-contained book is a graduate-level introduction for mathematicians and for physicists interested in the mathematical foundations of the field, and can be used as a textbook for a two-semester course on mathematical statistical mechanics. It assumes only basic knowledge of classical physics and, on the mathematics side, a good working knowledge of graduate-level probability theory. The book starts with a concise introduction to statistical mechanics, proceeds to disordered lattice spin systems, and concludes with a presentation of the latest developments in the mathematical understanding of mean-field spin glass models. In particular, progress towards a rigorous understanding of the replica symmetry-breaking solutions of the Sherrington-Kirkpatrick spin glass models, due to Guerra, Aizenman-Sims-Starr and Talagrand, is reviewed in some detail.

Recenzje

'…the value and usefulness of the book by A. Bovier for anyone interested in the rigourous theory of disordered (spin) systems can be hardly overestimated.' Journal of Statistical Physics

Spis treści

Preface; Part I. Statistical Mechanics: 1. Introduction; 2. Principles of statistical mechanics; 3. Lattice gases and spin systems; 4. Gibbsian formalism; 5. Cluster expansions; Part II. Disordered Systems: Lattice Models: 6. Gibbsian formalism and metastates; 7. The random field Ising model; Part III: Disordered Systems: Mean Field Models: 8. Disordered mean field models; 9. The random energy model; 10. Derrida's generalised random energy models; 11. The SK models and the Parisi solution; 12. Hopfield models; 13. The number partitioning problem; Bibliography; Index of notation; Index.