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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:

Selected journal papers / book chapter:

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(PDF Document)
(calculation)

Solutions(PDF Document)

26/01/2015 10/02/2015

written script

25

22

Problem sheet #2

Computational assignment
(calculation + computation)

Solutions

16/02/2015

26/02/2015

written script

25

24

Prep + Oral Examination

13-14/03/2015

oral examination

50