Many-body physics (lecture notes, 2007)

By addebook • Jul 2nd, 2008 • Category: Physics

Many-body physics (lecture notes, 2007)

hxxp://www.physics.rutgers.edu/~coleman/

This description is from the first page of the introduction:

This monogram is written with the graduate student in mind. I had in mind to write a short, crisp book that would introduce my students to the basic ideas and concepts behind many body physics. At the same time, I felt very strongly that I should like to share my excitement with this field, for without feeling the thrill of entering uncharted territory, I do not think one has the motivation to learn and to make the passage from learning to research.
Traditionally, as physicists we ask “what are the microscopic laws of nature?”, often proceeding with the brash certainty that once revealed, these laws will have such profound beauty and symmetry, that the properties of the universe at large will be self-evident. This basic philosophy can be traced from the earliest atomistic philosophies of Democritus, to the most modern quests to unify quantum mechanics and gravity.
The dreams and aspirations of many body physics interwine the atomistic approach with a complimentary philosophy- that of emergent phenomena. From this view, fundamentally new kinds of phenomena emerge within complex assemblies of particles which can not be anticipated from an a priori knowledge of the microscopic laws of nature. Many body physics aspires to synthesize from the microscopic laws, new principles that govern the macroscopic realm, asking

What new principles and laws emerge as we make the journey from the microscopic to the macroscopic?

This is a comparatively new scienti c philosophy. Darwin was the perhaps the 1st to seek an understanding of emergent laws of nature. Following in his footsteps, Boltzmann was probably the 1st physicist to appreciate the need to understand how emergent principles are linked to microscopic physics, From Boltzmann’s biography, we learn that he was strongly in uenced and inspired by Darwin. In more modern times, a strong advocate of this philosophy has been Philip Anderson, who 1st introduced the phrase “emergent phenomenon” into physics.

In an ideal world, I would hope that from this short course your knowledge of many body techniques will grow hand-in-hand with an appreciation of the motivating philsophy. In many ways, this dual track is essential, for often, one needs both inspiration and overview to steer one lightly through the formalism, without getting bogged down in mathematical quagmires.

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