Statistical Physics of Fracture, Breakdown, and Earthquake

Written for graduate or advanced students as well as for professionals in physics and chemistry, this book includes the fundamental concepts of statistical physics and physical kinetics. These concepts relate to a wide range of physical objects, such as liquids and solids, gases and plasmas, clusters and systems of complex molecules. The book analyzes various structures of many-particle systems, such as crystal structures, lamellar structures, fractal aggregates and fractal structures, while comparing different methods of description for certain systems and phenomena. Developed from a lecture course on statistical physics and kinetic theory of various atomic systems, the text provides a maximum number of concepts in the simplest way, based on simple problems and using various methods.

This book offers a comprehensive picture of nonequilibrium phenomena in nanoscale systems. Written by internationally recognized experts in the field, this book strikes a balance between theory and experiment, and includes in-depth introductions to nonequilibrium fluctuation relations, nonlinear dynamics and transport, single molecule experiments, and molecular diffusion in nanopores. The authors explore the application of these concepts to nano- and biosystems by cross-linking key methods and ideas from nonequilibrium statistical physics, thermodynamics, stochastic theory, and dynamical systems. By providing an up-to-date survey of small systems physics, the text serves as both a valuable reference for experienced researchers and as an ideal starting point for graduate-level students entering this newly emerging research field.

Authored by a well-known expert in the field of nonequilibrium statistical physics, this book is a coherent presentation of the subject suitable for masters and PhD students, as well as postdocs in physics and related disciplines. Starting from a general discussion of irreversibility and entropy, the method of nonequilibrium statistical operator is presented as a general concept. Stochastic processes are introduced as a necessary prerequisite to describe the evolution of a nonequilibrium state. Different standard approaches such as master equations, kinetic equations and linear response theory, are derived after special assumptions. This allows for an insight into the problems of nonequilibrium physics, a discussion of the limits of the approaches, and suggestions for improvements. The method of thermodynamic Green's function is outlined that allows for the systematic quantum statistical treatment of many-body systems. Applications and typical examples are given, as well as fully worked problems.

This book deals with the mechanics and physics of fractures at various scales. Based on advanced continuum mechanics of heterogeneous media, it develops a rigorous mathematical framework for single macrocrack problems as well as for the effective properties of microcracked materials. In both cases, two geometrical models of cracks are examined and discussed: the idealized representation of the crack as two parallel faces (the Griffith crack model), and the representation of a crack as a flat elliptic or ellipsoidal cavity (the Eshelby inhomogeneity problem). The book is composed of two parts: – The first part deals with solutions to 2D and 3D problems involving a single crack in linear elasticity. Elementary solutions of cracks problems in the different modes are fully worked. Various mathematical techniques are presented, including Neuber-Papkovitch displacement potentials, complex analysis with conformal mapping and Eshelby-based solutions. – The second part is devoted to continuum micromechanics approaches of microcracked materials in relation to methods and results presented in the first part. Various estimates and bounds of the effective elastic properties are presented. They are considered for the formulation and application of continuum micromechanics-based damage models.

This statistics textbook, with particular emphasis on radiation protection and dosimetry, deals with statistical solutions to problems inherent in health physics measurements and decision making. The authors begin with a description of our current understanding of the statistical nature of physical processes at the atomic level, including radioactive decay and interactions of radiation with matter. Examples are taken from problems encountered in health physics, and the material is presented such that health physicists and most other nuclear professionals will more readily understand the application of statistical principles in the familiar context of the examples. Problems are presented at the end of each chapter, with solutions to selected problems provided online. In addition, numerous worked examples are included throughout the text.

This undergraduate textbook provides a statistical mechanical foundation to the classical laws of thermodynamics via a comprehensive treatment of the basics of classical thermodynamics, equilibrium statistical mechanics, irreversible thermodynamics, and the statistical mechanics of non-equilibrium phenomena. This timely book has a unique focus on the concept of entropy, which is studied starting from the well-known ideal gas law, employing various thermodynamic processes, example systems and interpretations to expose its role in the second law of thermodynamics. This modern treatment of statistical physics includes studies of neutron stars, superconductivity and the recently developed fluctuation theorems. It also presents figures and problems in a clear and concise way, aiding the student’s understanding.

A Modern Course in Statistical Physics is a textbook that illustrates the foundations of equilibrium and non-equilibrium statistical physics, and the universal nature of thermodynamic processes, from the point of view of contemporary research problems. The book treats such diverse topics as the microscopic theory of critical phenomena, superfluid dynamics, quantum conductance, light scattering, transport processes, and dissipative structures, all in the framework of the foundations of statistical physics and thermodynamics. It shows the quantum origins of problems in classical statistical physics. One focus of the book is fluctuations that occur due to the discrete nature of matter, a topic of growing importance for nanometer scale physics and biophysics. Another focus concerns classical and quantum phase transitions, in both monatomic and mixed particle systems. This fourth edition extends the range of topics considered to include, for example, entropic forces, electrochemical processes in biological systems and batteries, adsorption processes in biological systems, diamagnetism, the theory of Bose-Einstein condensation, memory effects in Brownian motion, the hydrodynamics of binary mixtures. A set of exercises and problems is to be found at the end of each chapter and, in addition, solutions to a subset of the problems is provided. The appendices cover Exact Differentials, Ergodicity, Number Representation, Scattering Theory, and also a short course on Probability.

Earthquake occurrence modeling is a rapidly developing research area. This book deals with its critical issues, ranging from theoretical advances to practical applications. The introductory chapter outlines state-of-the-art earthquake modeling approaches based on stochastic models. Chapter 2 presents seismogenesis in association with the evolving stress field. Chapters 3 to 5 present earthquake occurrence modeling by means of hidden (semi-)Markov models and discuss associated characteristic measures and relative estimation aspects. Further comparisons, the most important results and our concluding remarks are provided in Chapters 6 and 7.

Serving as a general introduction to surface and interface science, this book focuses on basic concepts rather than specific details, and on intuitive understanding rather than merely learning facts. The text reflects the fact that the physics and chemistry of surfaces is a diverse area of research that involves classical scientific and engineering disciplines. As such, it discusses fundamental subjects, such as thermodynamics of interfaces, as well as applied topics including wetting, friction, and lubrication. Following an introduction to the most important techniques and methods, readers will be able to apply simple models to their own scientific problems. Furthermore, manifold high end technological applications are shown together with the basic scientific treatment, for example AFM, surface technology, biotechnology, microelectronics, and biomaterials. The book is written with advanced students of chemistry, physics, materials science, chemical engineering and related subjects who have a basic knowledge of natural sciences and mathematics in mind. In addition, scientists and engineers who are not yet specialists in surface science but want to learn more about this important subject will equally benefit.

The study of earthquakes is a multidisciplinary field, an amalgam of geodynamics, mathematics, engineering and more. The overriding commonality between them all is the presence of natural randomness. Stochastic studies (probability, stochastic processes and statistics) can be of different types, for example, the black box approach (one state), the white box approach (multi-state), the simulation of different aspects, and so on. This book has the advantage of bringing together a group of international authors, known for their earthquake-specific approaches, to cover a wide array of these myriad aspects. A variety of topics are presented, including statistical nonparametric and parametric methods, a multi-state system approach, earthquake simulators, post-seismic activity models, time series Markov models with regression, scaling properties and multifractal approaches, selfcorrecting models, the linked stress release model, Markovian arrival models, Poisson-based detection techniques, change point detection techniques on seismicity models, and, finally, semi-Markov models for earthquake forecasting.