The formalism of equilibrium quantum statistical mechanics revisited

Rudolf Haag, Nicolaas Marinus Hugenholtz, Marinus Winnink

Daniel Kastler

Olaf Meisheimer

It is shown that the traditional formalism of equilibrium quantum statistical mechanics may fully be incorporated into a general macro-observable approach to quantum statistical meehanics recently proposed by the same author. °'2) In particular, the partition funetions which in the traditional approach are assumed to connect nonnormalized density operators with thermodynamic functions are reinterpreted as functions connecting so called quantum mechanical effect operators with state parameters. It is argued that these functions although only part of a much richer internal structure of the macro-observable are sufficient to cope with all problems one usually encounters in equilibrium quantum statistical mechanics.

Van Vliet, M Carolyn

Equilibrium Statistical Mechanics: General Principles of Many-Particle Systems Classical and Quantum Formalisms. The Boltzmann Gas, the Perfect Bose Gas and Fermi Gas Quantum Systems with Strong Interactions Non-Equilibrium Statistical Mechanics: Classical Transport Theory Linear Response Theory and Quantum Transport Stochastic Phenomena Appendices: The Schrodinger, Heisenberg and Interaction Pictures Spin and Statistics.

F. Becattini, Matteo Buzzegoli, Eduardo Grossi

In this work the non-equilibrium density operator approach introduced by Zubarev more than 50 years ago to describe quantum systems at local thermodynamic equilibrium is revisited. This method - which was used to obtain the first ''Kubo" formula of shear viscosity, is especially suitable to describe quantum effects in fluids. This feature makes it a viable tool to describe the physics of the Quark Gluon Plasma in relativistic nuclear collisions.