Nonextensive Statistical Mechanics and Its Applications

Lectures on Nonextensive Statistical Mechanics.- I. Nonextensive Statistical Mechanics and Thermodynamics: Historical Background and Present Status.- II. Quantum Density Matrix Description of Nonextensive Systems.- III. Tsallis Theory, the Maximum Entropy Principle, and Evolution Equations.- IV. ComputationalMetho ds for the Simulation of Classical and Quantum Many Body Systems Arising from Nonextensive Thermostatistics.- Further Topics.- V. Correlation Induced by Nonextensivity and the Zeroth Law of Thermodynamics.- VI. Dynamic and Thermodynamic Stability of Nonextensive Systems.- VII. Generalized Simulated Annealing Algorithms Using Tsallis Statistics: Application to ±J Spin Glass Model.- VIII. Protein Folding Simulations by a Generalized-Ensemble Algorithm Based on Tsallis Statistics.

"This is an extremely interesting book that consists of a set of articles based on the generalization of entropic measure introduced be C. Tsallis. [...] Topics examined in the book cover a wide variety of interesting material such as classical and quantum many body systems, thermodynamic systems, applications to spin glass models and to protein folding. All of these can be read even by the non-expert relatively easily after the basic concepts [...] have been assimilated. This is a book that will be useful to many people and I can positively recommend it." (Brian L. Burrows, Mathematical Reviews 2002m)