| Non-Equilibrium Phase Transitions: Volume 2: Ageing and Dynamical Scaling Far from Equilibrium 2010 Edition Contributor(s): Henkel, Malte (Author), Pleimling, Michel (Author) |
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ISBN: 9048128684 ISBN-13: 9789048128686 Publisher: Springer OUR PRICE: $104.49 Product Type: Hardcover - Other Formats Published: July 2010 |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - Science | Physics - Mathematical & Computational - Mathematics | Probability & Statistics - General - Technology & Engineering | Materials Science - General |
| Dewey: 530.414 |
| Series: Theoretical and Mathematical Physics |
| Physical Information: 1.1" H x 6.3" W x 9.2" (2.35 lbs) 544 pages |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: "The importance of knowledge consists not only in its direct practical utility but also in the fact the it promotes a widely contemplative habit of mind; on this ground, utility is to be found in much of the knowledge that is nowadays labelled 'useless'. " Bertrand Russel, In Praise of Idleness, London (1935) "Why are scientists in so many cases so deeply interested in their work ? Is it merely because it is useful ? It is only necessary to talk to such scientists to discover that the utilitarian possibilities of their work are generally of secondary interest to them. Something else is primary. " David Bohm, On creativity, Abingdon (1996) In this volume, the dynamical critical behaviour of many-body systems far from equilibrium is discussed. Therefore, the intrinsic properties of the - namics itself, rather than those of the stationary state, are in the focus of 1 interest. Characteristically, far-from-equilibrium systems often display - namical scaling, even if the stationary state is very far from being critical. A 1 As an example of a non-equilibrium phase transition, with striking practical c- sequences, consider the allotropic change of metallic ?-tin to brittle ?-tin. At o equilibrium, the gray ?-Sn becomes more stable than the silvery ?-Sn at 13. 2 C. Kinetically, the transition between these two solid forms of tin is rather slow at higher temperatures. It starts from small islands of ?-Sn, the growth of which proceeds through an auto-catalytic reaction. |