1999/09/10 by Roberto Luzzi, Luzzi, R., Áurea R. Vasconcellos +3
Physics and Astronomy · #Advanced Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics #FOS: Physical sciences #Statistical Mechanics (cond-mat.stat-mech) #Statistical Mechanics and Entropy #Theoretical and Computational Physics
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.cond-mat/9909160
openalex publication_date 1999/09/10 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
We describe a particular approach for the construction of a nonequilibrium statistical ensemble formalism for the treatment of dissipative many-body systems. This is the so-called Nonequilibrium Statistical Operator Method, based on the seminal and fundamental ideas set forward by Boltzmann and Gibbs. The existing approaches can be unified under a unique variational principle, namely, MaxEnt, which we consider here. The main six basic steps that are at the foundations of the formalism are presented and the fundamental concepts are discussed. The associated nonlinear quantum kinetic theory and the accompanying Statistial Thermodynamics (the Informational Statistical Thermodynamics) are very briefly described. The corresponding response function theory for systems away from equilibrium allows to connected the theory with experiments, and some examples are summarized; there follows a good agreement between theory and experimental data in the cases in which the latter are presently available. We also present an overview of some conceptual questions and associated criticisms.