|
A: Why Statistical Processes can be used to describe Nature with examples
|
|
T: Monte Carlo Integration (review from CPS615)
|
|
A: Introduction to Spin Models with the Ising model (an array of two component, up and down, entities) as simplest example
|
A: Phase Transitions as a pervasive property of systems and common focus of statistical physics computations
-
Ice -- Water transition is a typical physics phase transition
-
Breakup of Eastern Europe in 1990 is example of phase transition in a "complex system"
|
C: Use of Monte Carlo Methods in Statistical Physics
-
T: Importance Sampling -- general method of improving efficiency of computation
-
T: Markov Chains
-
A: Detailed balance as property of equilibrium in physical system
-
T: Metropolis Algorithm -- excellent importance sampling needed since incredibly peaked functions found in statistical physics Monte Carlo integrals.
|
