Statistical mechanics of reparametrization-invariant systems. it takes three to tango.

DOI10.1088/0264-9381/33/4/045005zbMATH Open1338.83029arXiv1503.08725OpenAlexW1778994731MaRDI QIDQ2807413FDOQ2807413

Goffredo Chirco, Carlo Rovelli, Thibaut Josset

Publication date: 20 May 2016

Published in: Classical and Quantum Gravity (Search for Journal in Brave)

Abstract: It is notoriously difficult to apply statistical mechanics to generally covariant systems, because the notions of time, energy and equilibrium are seriously modified in this context. We discuss the conditions under which weaker versions of these notions can be defined, sufficient for statistical mechanics. We focus on reparametrization-invariant systems without additional gauges. The key is to reconstruct statistical mechanics from the ergodic theorem. We find that a suitable split of the system into two non interacting components is sufficient for generalizing statistical mechanics. While equilibrium acquires sense only when the system admits a suitable split into three weakly interacting components ---roughly: a clock and two systems among which a generalization of energy is equi-partitioned. This allows the application of statistical mechanics and thermodynamics as an additivity condition of such generalized energy.

Full work available at URL: https://arxiv.org/abs/1503.08725

zbMATH Keywords

statistical mechanicsthermodynamicsgeneral covariant systems

Mathematics Subject Classification ID

Applications of statistics to physics (62P35) Classical and relativistic thermodynamics (80A10) Einstein's equations (general structure, canonical formalism, Cauchy problems) (83C05) Relativistic gravitational theories other than Einstein's, including asymmetric field theories (83D05) Classical dynamic and nonequilibrium statistical mechanics (general) (82C05)

Cited In (6)

• Statistical mechanics of covariant systems with multi-fingered time
• Effective relational cosmological dynamics from quantum gravity
• Lagrangian and Hamiltonian dynamics for probabilities on the statistical bundle
• Covariant momentum map thermodynamics for parametrized field theories
• Cyclic statistics in three dimensions
• Statistical mechanics of generally covariant quantum theories: a Boltzmann-like approach.

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