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arXiv:1711.03027 · Journal of Statistical Mechanics Theory and Experiment

Current algebra, statistical mechanics and quantum models

R. Vilela Mendes

Published Nov 1, 2017• 6 citations
arXivHTMLPDF

Abstract

Abstract Results obtained in the past for free boson systems at zero and nonzero temperatures are revisited to clarify the physical meaning of current algebra reducible functionals which are associated to systems with density fluctuations, leading to observable effects on phase transitions. To use current algebra as a tool for the formulation of quantum statistical mechanics amounts to the construction of unitary representations of diffeomorphism groups. Two mathematical equivalent procedures exist for this purpose. One searches for quasi-invariant measures on configuration spaces, the other for a cyclic vector in Hilbert space. Here, one argues that the second approach is closer to the physical intuition when modelling complex systems. An example of application of the current algebra methodology to the pairing phenomenon in two-dimensional fermion systems is discussed.

DOI
10.1088/1742-5468/aa9342

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Abstract Results obtained in the past for free boson systems at zero and nonzero temperatures are revisited to clarify the physical meaning of current algebra reducible functionals which are associated to systems with density fluctuations, leading to observable effects on phase transitions. To use current algebra as a tool for the formulation of quantum statistical mechanics amounts to the construction of unitary representations of diffeomorphism groups. Two mathematical equivalent procedures exist for this purpose. One searches for quasi-invariant measures on configuration spaces, the other for a cyclic vector in Hilbert space. Here, one argues that the second approach is closer to the physical intuition when modelling complex systems. An example of application of the current algebra methodology to the pairing phenomenon in two-dimensional fermion systems is discussed.
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It is possible that a complete physical theory can be written entirely in terms of operators such as current densities, rather than in terms of field operators. The current densities in these models correspond in general to distributions of unbounded operators. Such a theory is reviewed for the case of nonrelativistic quantum mechanics. It is found that one can exponentiate the current algebra to obtain a group, which may then be represented by unitary (hence bounded) operators in Hilbert space. This procedure is analogous to exponentiating the canonical commutation relations and obtaining the Weyl group. For nonrelativistic quantum mechanics without spin, the group is the semidirect product J∧K Schwartz space J(R3) with a group K of certain C∞ diffeomorphisms from R3 onto itself. For f ∈ J and φ ∈ K, the composition mapping (f,φ)→f∘φ defines the semidirect product law. The Gel'fand-Vilenkin formalism for ``nuclear Lie groups'' is suitable for the representation theory of such a group. Almost all of the physical information is contained in a cylindrical measure μ on J′, the dual of the nuclear space J. The Fourier transform of μ can be interpreted as an expectation functional with respect to the state of lowest energy. The nonrelativistic Fock representation (including the theory of n particles in a box) is examined in this formalism. Conditions on μ are systematically developed which suffice to recover all of the infinitesimal generators on a common, dense, invariant domain in the Hilbert space. For the Weyl group slightly weaker conditions than for the semidirect product case would suffice. Gaussian measures in J′, as well as the measures defining n-particle representations of J ∧K, satisfy these conditions.
This paper is a study of the representations of the current algebra for an infinite, free, Bose or Fermi system at finite temperature. The state of the algebra is calculated for a finite system by use of the grand canonical formalism of statistical physics, and the thermodynamic limit is used to get the representation of the infinite case. An expression of the states is given in terms of determinants of one particle operators. In a second part, the usual formulas for the occupation density, the condensation temperature for bosons, etc., are recovered. It is also found that the canonical and grand canonical formalisms are equivalent when used to study Fermi systems in the thermodynamic limit, but not so for the Bose systems. It is postulated that this has something to do with the phase transition of Bose systems. Finally, the problem of the Hamiltonian is discussed in some details. The states calculated previously are used to test a method for calculating expectation values of the Hamiltonian, given the states of the algebra; it yields the correct value for the case of the free system at finite temperature.
The existence of inequivalent representations of the canonical commutation relations which describe a nonrelativistic infinite free Bose gas of uniform density is investigated, with a view to possible applications to statistical mechanics. The functional E(f, g)=(Ψ, eiφ(f) eiπ(g)Ψ) is used to describe the inequivalent representations. This functional is calculated for the free Bose gas in a box of volume V, and the limit is then taken as V → ∞. In this way we construct cyclic representations describing an infinite system of particles with a density distribution ρ(k) in momentum space. For a given ρ(k) the operator algebra generated by the φ(f), π(g) is reducible. For the ground-state representation (all particles in the zero-momentum state), the representation is a direct integral of irreducible representations (analogous to BCS theory). For finite temperatures the situation is complicated by the occurrence of representations which are not type I. The physical significance of the reducibility of the representations is discussed. It is argued that the thermal ensemble for the infinite system is a pure state at zero temperature, although there is some ambiguity as to which operators should belong to the algebra of observables. For finite temperatures, the thermal ensemble seems to be a mixture. The case of an interacting Bose gas is considered briefly.
The non-relativistic current algebra approach is analyzed subject to its application to studying the distribution functions of many-particle systems at the temperature equilibrium and their stability properties.We show that the classical Bogolubov generating functional method is a very effective tool for constructing the irreducible current algebra representations and the corresponding different generalized measure expansions including collective variables transform.The effective Hamiltonian operator construction and its spectrum peculiarities subject to the stability of equilibrium many-particle systems are discussed.
Abstract A formulation of quantum mechanics is presented based on the theory of semigroups and the associated enveloping algebras of functions defined on countable subsemigroups. The existence of a unique *‐involution is not assumed. The fundamental elements of a semigroup are identified with experimental precedures for the separation of subensembles from a given ensemble of experimental systems. Observables are represented as elements of enveloping algebras, and ensembles as density matrices within an enveloping algebra. The statistical properties of ensembles are expressed in terms of traces defined on the semigroup and its enveloping algebras. The elements and generators of the Poincaré group can be defined and interpreted in the usual way. A variety of applications is described, in which the theory of the density matrix plays an essential or effective role. Advantages associated with the resulting freedom from the limitations of Hilbert space are illustrated.