Equilibrium

This book describes two main classes of non-equilibrium phase-transitions: (a) static and dynamics of transitions into an absorbing state, and (b) dynamical scaling in far-from-equilibrium relaxation behaviour and ageing.

Financial Markets Theory presents classical asset pricing theory, a theory composed of milestones such as portfolio selection, risk aversion, fundamental asset pricing theorem, portfolio frontier, CAPM, CCAPM, APT, the Modigliani-Miller Theorem, no arbitrage/risk neutral evaluation and information in financial markets. Starting from an analysis of the empirical tests of the above theories, the author provides a discussion of the most recent literature, pointing out the main advancements within classical asset pricing theory and the new approaches designed to address open problems (e.g. behavioural finance).

This book includes various aspects of non-equilibrium or irreversible statistical mechanics and their relationships with engineering applications. I hope that this book contributes to expanding the predictability of holistic engineering consisting of thermo-, fluid, and particle dynamics.

The present Special Issue, ‘Entropy and Non-Equilibrium Statistical Mechanics’, consists of seven original research papers. Although the issue has a long history, still it remains as one of the most fundamental subjects in physics. These seven papers actually cover various latest relevant topics, ranging from gravity as an entropic force to exotic statistics, including conservation laws, dynamics generated by entropy production, quantum measurements and the limits on the constitutive laws in classical gaseous systems.

Non-equilibrium thermodynamics is a relatively new field of research, and one which is also becoming increasingly important in engineering applications. However, despite the many approaches developed in recent decades, they all raise questions from a mathematical point of view, for instance on the proper definitions of initial and boundary conditions, analytical and numerical solution methods, and geometrical background. These questions cover numerous topics, including the mathematical analysis of various thermodynamic approaches, the investigation of the resulting governing equations, symmetry analysis of the solutions, and how the numerical methods can be built on the geometrical background.

Our time is characterized by an explosion of information and by an accel- ation of knowledge. A book cannot compete with the huge amount of data available on the Web. However, to assimilate all this information, it is n- essary to structure our knowledge in a useful conceptual framework. The purpose of the present work is to provide such a structure for students and researchers interested by the current state of the art of non-equilibrium th- modynamics.

This textbook provides an exposition of equilibrium thermodynamics and its applications to several areas of physics with particular attention to phase transitions and critical phenomena. The applications include several areas of condensed matter physics and include also a chapter on thermochemistry. Phase transitions and critical phenomena are treated according to the modern development of the field, based on the ideas of universality and on the Widom scaling theory. For each topic, a mean-field or Landau theory is presented to describe qualitatively the phase transitions.

This textbook provides an exposition of equilibrium thermodynamics and its applications to several areas of physics with particular attention to phase transitions and critical phenomena. The applications include several areas of condensed matter physics and include also a chapter on thermochemistry. Phase transitions and critical phenomena are treated according to the modern development of the field, based on the ideas of universality and on the Widom scaling theory. For each topic, a mean-field or Landau theory is presented to describe qualitatively the phase transitions.