This book provides an introduction to nonequilibrium statistical physics via lattice models. Beginning with an introduction to the basic driven lattice gas, the early chapters discuss the relevance of this lattice model to certain natural phenomena, examining simulation results in detail. Later chapters discuss absorbing-state transitions, and examine a variety of systems subject to dynamic disorder. The book discusses the effects of multiparticle rules, nonunique absorbing-states and conservation laws, as well as the use of methods such as mean-field theory, Monte Carlo simulation and the concept of universality. It also includes detailed references and examples using simple respresentations of nature to describe real systems.

This volume is an exciting collection of short review articles written by leading international experts on the superconducting state in magnetic fields, a rapidly developing area. The philosophy of the book is to emphasize the importance of having experimental and theoretical works side by side. Every effort has been made to match each experimental article with a corresponding theoretical article. The selection of materials includes special topics, new effects and new trends concerning superconductors in low and high magnetic fields. The special topics and new trends include quantum and classical melting of the vortex lattice, new vortex lattice symmetries, vortex core states, nonlinear Meissner effect, symmetry of the order parameter in high-temperature superconductors, and superconductors in high magnetic fields. The book is targeted at a broad audience, including graduate students, postdocs and other researchers active or interested in this field.

This book collects recent results in systems whose evolutions are dominated by fluctuations, driven systems in which the way to dissipate driving forces is relevant, and systems in which disorder induces highly non-trivial dynamics leading naturally to questions of computational complexity. Topics of the 14 papers include multiplicative noise in non-equilibrium phase transitions, the stochastic population dynamics of spiking neurons, anomalous velocity distributions in elastic Maxwell gases, universality issues in surface kinetic roughening of thin solid films, and multi-state neural networks based upon spin glasses. Some of the chapters have appeared in the arXiv.org database. No information is given about the authors. Annotation : 2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com).

From molecular motors to bacteria, from crawling cells to large animals, active entities are found at all scales in the biological world. Active matter encompasses systems whose individual constituents irreversibly dissipate energy to exert self-propelling forces on their environment. Over the past twenty years, scientists have managed to engineer synthetic active particles in the lab, paving the way towards smart active materials. This book gathers a pedagogical set of lecture notes that cover topics in nonequilibrium statistical mechanics and active matter. These lecture notes stem from the first summer school on Active Matter delivered at the Les Houches school of Physics. The lectures covered four main research directions: collective behaviours in active-matter systems, passive and active colloidal systems, biophysics and active matter, and nonequilibrium statistical physics--from passive to active.

Studies of High Temperature Superconductors, Volume 48 - Vortex Physics & Flux Pinning

Pt. A. Statistical mechanics, magnetism, quantum and nonlinear dynamics. The groundstates and phases of the two-dimensional fully frustrated XY model / P. Minnhagen, S. Bernhardsson and B.J. Kim. 2D Ising model with competing interactions and its application to clusters and arrays of [symbol]-rings, graphene and adiabatic quantum computing / A. O'Hare, F.V. Kusmartsev and K.I. Kugel. Concerning the equation of state for a partially ionized system / G.A. Baker Jr. Quasiclassical Fourier path integral quantum correction terms to the kinetic energy of interacting quantum many-body systems / K.A. Gernoth. Ergodicity and chaos in a system of harmonic oscillators / M.H. Lee. Chaotic modes in scale free opinion networks / F.V. Kusmartsev and K.E. Kürten. Astroid curves for a synthetic antiferromagnetic stack in an applied magnetic field / D.M. Forrester [und weitere]. Entanglement properties of quantum many-body wave functions / J.W. Clark [und weitere] -- pt. B. Fermi and Bose fluids. Topological phase transitions in strongly correlated Fermi systems / J.W. Clark, V.A. Khodel and M.V. Zverev. Deconfinement and quantum liquid crystalline states of dipolar fermions in optical lattices / S.T. Carr, J. Quintanilla and J.J. Betouras. On the "generalized Slater" approximation / J. Messud [und weitere]. Fluid helium-4 in thermal equilibrium / K.A. Gernoth and M.L. Ristig. Microscopic approach in the description of slowing of electromagnetic pulses in BEC of alkalis / Y. Slyusarenko and A. Sotnikov. Anomalous behavior of ideal Fermi gas below 2D : The "ideal quantum dot" and the Paul exclusion principle / M. Grether, M. de Llano and M.H. Lee -- pt. C. Transport theory. On the quantum Hall effect in graphene / S. Fujita [und weitere]. Modelling charge transport in DNA using transfer matrices with diagonal terms / S.A. Wells, C.-T. Shih and R.A. Römer. Similarities between embolic stroke and percolation problems / J.P. Hague. Extraordinary magnetoresistance in hybrid semiconductor-metal systems / T.H. Hewett and F.V. Kusmartsev. Topological aspects of the specific heat / C.M. Sarris and A.N. Proto. Effects of electron-electron interactions in two dimensions / S.V. Kravchenko