Statistical Mechanics

Subir Sachdev, Physics 2, 90 (2009) – Published October 26, 2009

Statistical Mechanics Strongly Correlated Materials

A new renormalization group approach that maps lattice problems to tensor networks may hold the key to solving seemingly intractable models of strongly correlated systems in any dimension.

Marivi Fernández-Serra, Physics 2, 67 (2009) – Published August 10, 2009

Atomic & Molecular Physics Statistical Mechanics Soft Matter

Experiments on melting of small water clusters open the door to the study of the size-dependent phase diagram of water.

Thomas Vojta, Physics 2, 66 (2009) – Published August 3, 2009

Mesoscopics Nanophysics Statistical Mechanics

Quantum states in disordered solids are characterized by wild spatial fluctuations. As a result, the behavior of a single typical wave function differs markedly from the ensemble average.

Published July 20, 2009

Statistical Mechanics

Statistical physicists have long known that brief reductions in entropy are possible. Now, entropy changes in two nonequilibrium systems have been calculated exactly.

Published July 6, 2009

Materials Science Statistical Mechanics

A semi-automated method that incorporates physically realistic assumptions from the start, dramatically improves the efficiency of first principles calculations for describing complex materials.

Published June 29, 2009

Statistical Mechanics

In the theory of statistical information processing, what is the minimum amount of energy needed to make a measurement and then erase its memory?

Felix Ritort, Physics 2, 43 (2009) – Published May 26, 2009

Statistical Mechanics Interdisciplinary Physics

Small nonequilibrium systems behave quite unexpectedly when in contact with a thermal reservoir. However, all of them—from molecular machines to molecular magnets—are described by a single fluctuation theorem.

Ralf Metzler, Physics 2, 36 (2009) – Published May 4, 2009

Statistical Mechanics Biological Physics

Faster does not mean more precise—a new view of how proteins diffuse and bind to a specific site on the DNA reassesses the role noise plays in the biochemical production line that creates biomolecules from genes.

Published April 13, 2009

Statistical Mechanics

Cross-correlations in Monte Carlo simulation data can be used for numerical estimates of superior statistical quality.

Published October 6, 2008

Interdisciplinary Physics Statistical Mechanics

How the structural organization of a network evolves as it is observed on larger and larger scales remains an open question. Now, a general and systematic approach to answer this question may be in sight.

Igor M. Sokolov, Physics 1, 8 (2008) – Published July 28, 2008

Statistical Mechanics Biological Physics

Current technology permits tracking single molecules with exquisite precision, but the results need to be interpreted with care. Long-duration measurement of the motion of a single particle yields information that is different and complementary to that obtained from an ensemble average of many particles.

Published July 21, 2008

Quantum Mechanics Statistical Mechanics

Theorists show that the quantum critical states of fermions may have fractal character and predict signatures of this result in liquid ³He, a fermionic fluid.

Published July 21, 2008

Biological Physics Statistical Mechanics

Molecular dynamics simulations show that thermal gradients – of order 10¹⁰ K over a meter - can polarize liquid water. The finding could have interesting implications for developing hyperthermal treatments that target cancer cells.