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[PAST EVENT] Physics Colloquium
April 15, 2016
4pm - 5pm
Abstract:
How does an isolated quantum system come to thermal equilibrium due to interaction between its constituent subsystems? Or does it? What underlies the condition for quantum ?ergodicity?? These are some of the basic questions to be discussed in this talk. The topic is of fundamental importance since it deals with the applicability of thermodynamics and statistical mechanics to isolated quantum systems, and asks the extent to which an isolated (macroscopic) quantum system can be considered to be acting as its own heat bath.
How does an isolated quantum system come to thermal equilibrium due to interaction between its constituent subsystems? Or does it? What underlies the condition for quantum ?ergodicity?? These are some of the basic questions to be discussed in this talk. The topic is of fundamental importance since it deals with the applicability of thermodynamics and statistical mechanics to isolated quantum systems, and asks the extent to which an isolated (macroscopic) quantum system can be considered to be acting as its own heat bath.