On the structure of the three-particle scattering operator in classical gases

Abstract

It has been demonstrated that an expression for the asymptotic collision operator for any n-particle collision process can be reduced to the well-known form of the Boltz mann operator in the case of a three particle collision. An exact equivalence between an expression for the scattering operator in spatially homogeneous situations and the asymp totic collision operator has also been demonstrated. As far as the asymptotic collision operator is concerned the present work establishes the link between the different approaches proposed in recent years for tackling the problem of irreversible statistical mechanics. (H.D.R.)