Abstract
We consider the generalization to nonequilibrium statistical mechanics of two of Mayer's contributions to equilibrium statistical mechanics. These are (a) the virial expansion of the equilibrium properties of a gas with short-range interparticle forces, and (b) the rearrangement of this expansion for gases with weak, long-range forces in order to incorporate a collective effect—the Debye screening—leading to the Debye-Huckel theory. For short-range forces, the formal generalization of the virial expansion to nonequilibrium has to be rearranged as in (b) in order to incorporate a collective effect—the mean free path cutoff of free particle motions. For weak long-range forces a similar rearrangement has to be carried out in order to include Debye screening in nonequilibrium plasmas. This leads to a generalization of the Balescu-Guernsey-Lenard equation to spatially in-homogeneous plasmas. An interesting formal analogy between the various equilibrium and non-equilibrium expansions is discussed.
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