A Guide to Monte Carlo Simulations in Statistical Physics - Softcover

Landau, David P.; Binder, Kurt

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0521653665 ISBN 13: 9780521653664

Publisher: Cambridge University Press, 2000

Synopsis

This book deals with all aspects of Monte Carlo simulation of complex physical systems encountered in condensed-matter physics and statistical mechanics as well as in related fields, for example polymer science and lattice gauge theory. After briefly recalling essential background in statistical mechanics and probability theory, the authors give a succinct overview of simple sampling methods. The next several chapters develop the importance sampling method. The concepts behind the various simulation algorithms are explained. The fact that simulations deal with small systems is emphasized. Other chapters also provide introductions to quantum Monte Carlo methods, aspects of simulations of growth phenomena and other systems far from equilibrium, and the Monte Carlo Renormalization Group approach to critical phenomena. Throughout the book there are many applications, examples, and exercises to help the reader in a thorough study of this book; furthermore, up-to-date references to more specialized literature are also provided.

About this title

Book Description

This book deals with all aspects of Monte Carlo simulation of complex physical systems encountered in condensed-matter physics and statistical mechanics as well as in related fields, for example polymer science and lattice gauge theory. It includes many applications, examples, and exercises throughout.

About the Author

David P. Landau received a BA in Physics from Princeton University in 1963 and a Ph.D. in experimental Physics from Yale University in 1967. After doing postdoctoral research at the CNRS in Grenoble, France and teaching at Yale for a year he moved to the University of Georgia where he initiated a research program of Monte Carlo studies in statistical physics. He is currently the Distinguished Research Professor of Physics and founding Director of the Center for Simulational Physics at the University of Georgia. He has been teaching graduate courses in computer simulations since 1982. He has authored/co-authored more than 370 research publications and edited/co-edited more than 20 books. David Landau is a Fellow of the American Physical Society and a past Chair of the Division of Computational Physics of the APS. He received the Jesse W. Beams award from SESAPS as well as Humboldt Fellowship and Humboldt Senior US Scientist awards. The University of Georgia named him a Senior Teaching Fellow in 1993. In 1998 he also became Adjunct Professor at the Helsinki University of Technology. In 1999 he was named a Fellow of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science. In 2002 he received the Aneesur Rahman Prize for Computational Physics from the APS, and in 2003 the Lamar Dodd Award for Creative Research from the University of Georgia. In 2005 he became the Senior Guanbiao Distinguished Professor (Visiting) at Zhejiang U. in China. In 2007 he received the Nicholson Medal for Human Outreach from the APS. He is currently a Principal Editor for the journal Computer Physics Communications.

Edition details

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Publication date: 2000
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0521653665
• ISBN 13: 9780521653664
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 398