Modelling and analysis of phase transitions

seminar: A variational approach to tunnelling

speaker: Errico Presutti (L'Aquila)

abstract: Tunnelling describes phenomena where the laws of motion are violated, in particular when the system leaves a stable equilibrium to reach a different stable equilibrium. An estimate of the time and of the pattern chosen for the transition are the main questions of interest. In Statistical Mechanics the analysis is framed in the context of Large Deviation Theory, I will instead discuss a purely variational approach inspired however by statistical mechanics models. Results in one and two dimensional tunnelling with no time constraints and in one dimension with a time constraint are outlined, open problems and conjectures will then conclude the presentation.

timetable:
Thu 19 Jan, 9:15 - 10:00, Sala Stemmi
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