CO904 Statistical Mechanics and its Applications to Complex Systems
This programme is no longer running.
Students taking PX439 should attend the lectures but not the classes. The course has a 1 hour examination in the summer term.
Lectures for the year 2014-2015 will take place on Tuesdays and Fridays 0900-1000 of weeks 15-24 (all 10 weeks of term 2) in room D1.07 of the Complexity Centre.
Classes for CO904 students will take place on Tuesdays 1300-1500 of weeks 15-24 (all 10 weeks of term 2) in D1.07. Please bring your laptops.
link to Online Course Materials (2011 Archive)
Lecture notes for the course will be available soon. If you have any questions about the course, please email me (G.P.Alexander "at" warwick.ac.uk)
Taken by students from:
Code | Degree Title | Year of study | core or option | credits |
P-F3P4 | Complexity Science MSc | 1 |
core |
12 |
P-F3P5 | Complexity Science MSc+PhD | 1 |
core |
12 |
P-F3P6/7 | Erasmus Mundus Masters in Complex Systems | 1 |
optional |
6 ECTS |
Context: This 12 CAT module forms part of the Complexity DTC taught programme. A related 7.5 CAT version (with no required classwork) forms a fourth year option “Statistical Mechanics of Complex Systems” for Physics-based undergraduate masters students.
Module Aims:
This module aims to survey the tools of Statistical Mechanics and show examples of their use outside the traditional application domain.
link to Learning Outcomes
Syllabus:
A. Equilibrium
(1) Statistical Mechanics from Bayesian inference and the maximum entropy
principle
(2) Fluctuations, the large number limit and thermodynamics
(3) Equilibrium ordering and phase transitions; lattice models and Landau theory
B. Dynamics
(4) Modelling non-equilibrium states. Examples in granular physics:
surface growth, roughening, dynamical scaling
(5) Transport: asymmetric exclusion processes
(6) Dynamical ordering: examples in collective biological motion, flocking,
social ordering
Illustrative Bibliography:
-
J. P. Sethna: "Statistical Mechanics: Entropy, Order Parameters, and
Complexity"Link opens in a new window (Oxford University Press, 2006) - M. Kardar, "Statistical Physics of Fields", (Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2007)
Selected journal papers / book chapter:
-
E. T. Jaynes, Phys. Rev. 106, 620-630 (1957); 108, 171-190 (1957)
-
C. E. Shannon, Bell Sys. Tech. J. 27, 379-423 (1948); 27, 623-656 (1948)
- T. Vicsek, A. Czirók, E. Ben-Jacob, I. Cohen, and O. Shochet, Phys. Rev. Lett. 75, 1226-1229 (1995)
Teaching:
-
Lectures per week
2 x 1 hours
Classwork sessions per week
1 x 2 hours
Module duration
10 weeks
Total contact hours
40
Private study and group working
60
Assessment information 2014-2015:
The viva for those taking CO904 will take place towards the end of week 24 (13th/14th March). Exact date and time tbc.
Week |
Assessment |
Issued |
Deadline |
how assessed |
%credit |
18 |
Problem sheet #1 |
26/01/2015 | 10/02/2015 | written script |
25 |
22 |
Problem sheet #2 Computational assignment Solutions |
16/02/2015 |
26/02/2015 |
written script |
25 |
24 |
Prep + Oral Examination |
13-14/03/2015 |
oral examination |
50 |