Michele Campisi - Lectures on the Mechanical Foundations of Thermodynamics

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Thermodynamics, conceived more than 150 years ago by Carnot, Clausius and others, has been experiencing a remarkable resurgence over the last two decades, spurred by major experimental and technological advances that enable the direct observation and manipulation of quantum gases, DNA molecules and other nanoscale systems. Originally developed to describe heat exchange and work extraction processes at the macroscopic scales, it has become increasingly clear in recent years that thermodynamic concepts and principles provide an equally powerful framework for the theoretical description of energy and information transfer in microscopic systems, from quantum heat engines to biological cells. Michele Campisi, whom I first met while still a doctoral student in Peter Hnggis group at Augsburg, has been one of the pioneers at the forefront of this rapidly expanding research field.

In his monograph Lectures on the Mechanical Foundations of Thermodynamics, which is based on courses he taught at the University of Florence, Michele discusses how a thermodynamic framework can be systematically constructed from Hamiltonian dynamics. This fundamental question has a long and interesting history, dating back to seminal work by Boltzmann, Gibbs and Hertz at the turn of the twentieth century, and it has regained critical importance with recent applications of thermostatistical concepts to small systems. While many modern textbooks adopt an axiomatic approach that starts from an abstract set of thermodynamic postulates, the constructive bottom-up approach pursued in this monograph shows how a reduced thermodynamic description emerges naturally by linking dynamical time averages with statistical ensemble averages through the ergodicity hypothesis.

Rather than aiming for a broad scope of applications, Micheles lectures focus on building a deep and succinct understanding of thermostatistical core concepts. Carefully chosen pedagogical examples highlight the different physical assumptions underlying the microcanonical and canonical ensembles. Ensemble equivalence, often taken for granted in the thermodynamic limit, can be and is violated in small (and many not-so-small) systems, which has profound implications for the accurate description of energy conversion and transfer in microbiological and quantum processes. Students and researchers interested in developing a strong foundational understanding of thermodynamic concepts will greatly appreciate the guidance provided by this monograph.