The Boltzmann distribution function for equilibrium fluctuations

Abstract

A complex of issues related to the problem of proving the Boltzmann formula for the probability density (distribution) w(η) of the values of a certain set of parameters η of an equilibrium system is investigated. The classical Boltzmann formula expresses this distribution through the non-equilibrium free energy of the system F (η) , which depends on the mentioned parameters. This is possible because after the occurrence of fluctuations, the system finds itself in a non-equilibrium state, which evolves further to equilibrium. The specified parameters are chosen according to the problem under consideration. In the theory of phase transitions, they are called the order parameters. Questions under consideration include definition and construction of the free energy F (η) of a non-equilibrium system and distribution w(η ) for it in the microscopic theory. The approaches of Landau, Leontovich, and Peletminsky are discussed. It is proposed to investigate the results for states in the vicinity of equilibrium. The leading ideas of the research are considering the non-equilibrium state as being realized in the presence of an appropriate external field, using the Gibbs formula for the non-equilibrium system entropy, and applying the Boltzmann formula as a definition of the free energy of the non-equilibrium system. The article is a continuation of the authors' works and sets the task of clarifying some of their statements as well as simplifying and clarifying the calculations. Among other things, the following are discussed: the formula for the expansion of the free energy of the system in powers of the field, the simplification of the distribution w(η ) calculation, the normalization of the approximate expressions for the distribution w(η) , the possibilities of studying the free energy of the equilibrium system using our expression for the effective Landau Hamiltonian, the refinement of the calculation of the non-equilibrium free energy of a spatially inhomogeneous system, the investigation of new types of effective interactions with the Landau Hamiltonian.