This book deals with statistical mechanics. Its goal is to give a deductive
presentation of the statistical mechanics of equilibrium systems based on a
single hypothesis – the form of the microcanonical density matrix – as well
as to treat the most important aspects of non-equilibrium phenomena. Beyond the fundamentals, the attempt is made here to demonstrate the breadth
and variety of the applications of statistical mechanics. Modern areas such
as renormalization group theory, percolation, stochastic equations of motion
and their applications in critical dynamics are treated. A compact presentation was preferred wherever possible; it however requires no additional aids
except for a knowledge of quantum mechanics. The material is made as understandable as possible by the inclusion of all the mathematical steps and
a complete and detailed presentation of all intermediate calculations. At the
end of each chapter, a series of problems is provided. Subsections which can
be skipped over in a first reading are marked with an asterisk; subsidiary
calculations and remarks which are not essential for comprehension of the
material are shown in small print. Where it seems helpful, literature citations are given; these are by no means complete, but should be seen as an
incentive to further reading. A list of relevant textbooks is given at the end
of each of the more advanced chapters