On the mean-field spherical model (Q2494489)

In the paper due to simplicity of the mean-field spherical model, an exact solution is obtained for any finite or infinite number \(N\) of degrees of freedom, even in the presence of an external magnetic field. both in the microcanonical and in the canonical ensemble. The canonical result allows for an exact discussion of the loci of the Fisher zeros of the canonical partition function. With the exact result for the microcanonical entropy density \(s_N\), the nonanalyticity it as a function of the energy is shown for arbitrary finite \(N\). This behavior is contrary to the well-known analyticity of the canonical free energy for finite systems. Moreover, the mean-field spherical model of finite size \(N\) is shown to be equivalent to a mixed isovector/isotensor \(\sigma\)-model on a lattice of two sites. Partial equivalence of statistical ensembles is observed for the mean-field spherical model in the thermodynamic limit. A discussion of the topology of certain state space submanifolds yields insights into the relation of these topological quantities to the thermodynamic behavior of the system in the presence of ensemble nonequivalence.