Topics in Statistical Physics

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Many random magnetic systems are characterized by freezing and hysteretic behavior at low temperatures. The dynamics of spin glasses, random field systems, random interfaces, and other glassy systems will be investigated, using scaling and probabilistic renormalization group arguments, simplified models, and numerical calculations. The emphasis will be on the causes of the freezing and hysteretic phenomena and the interplay between equilibrium and non-equilibrium processes, such as decay of remanent magnetization and approach to equilibrium. In some disordered systems, transport processes are highly collective and non-liniar. Using sliding charge density waves as a paradigm, various cellective transport phenomena will be investigated, including flux flow in disordered superconductors and motion of interfaces between two fluids in a porous media. These systems do not move until a threshold driving force is reached, and near this threshold they exhibit novel non-linear dynamic critical phenomena. Below threshold, hysteretic behavior occurs which will also be investigated. Various quantum statistical phenomena will also be studied: spin wave dynamics in strongly quantum magnets, (such as solid 3He): scaling behavior near metal- insulator transitions; and the effects of dissipation on quantum phase transitions such as destruction of superconductivity in granular materials.