Fluctuations, Instabilities, and Phase Transitions

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-viii

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2. Phase Transition and Turbulence: An Introduction

   • P. G. de Gennes

   Pages 1-18

3. Spinodal Decomposition

   • James S. Langer

   Pages 19-42

4. Clustering and Spinodal Decomposition in Cu-Ni Alloys

   • J. Vrijen, C. van Dijk

   Pages 43-52

5. Dynamics of First Order Phase Transitions

   • K. Binder

   Pages 53-86

6. Phase Separation Experiments Near the Critical Point

   • Walter I. Goldburg, John S. Huang

   Pages 87-106

7. Stochastic Models of Crystal Growth

   • H. Mül ler-Krumbhaar

   Pages 107-116

8. Effects of Quantum Fluctuations on First Order Phase Transitions

   • Günther Meissner

   Pages 117-126

9. Thermal Diffusion and Barodiffusion Measurements Near a Consolute Critical Point

   • M. Giglio, A. Vendramini

   Pages 127-137

10. Inelastic Neutron Scattering Studies of Al and Pb Near their Melting Points

    • Jens Klæstrup Kristensen, R. M. J. Cotterill

    Pages 139-151

11. A Survey of Hydrodynamic Instabilities

    • J. A. Whitehead Jr.

    Pages 153-180

12. The Rayleigh-Benard Instability at Helium Temperatures

    • Guenter Ahlers

    Pages 181-193

13. Critical Exponents and Generalized Potential for the Taylor Instability

    • J. P. Gollub, Michael H. Freilich

    Pages 195-203

14. Pretransitional Effects in the Rayleigh-Benard Instability

    • H. N. W. Lekkerkerker, Jean-Pierre Boon

    Pages 205-214

15. Macroscopic Theory of Fluctuations and Instabilities in Optics and Hydrodynamics

    • Robert Graham

    Pages 215-279

16. Mode-Mode Coupling Theory of the Heat Convection Threshold

    • Harald Pleiner

    Pages 281-293

17. Instabilities in Nematic Liquid Crystals

    • E. Guyon

    Pages 295-311

18. Neutron Scattering Study of Transitions to Convection and Turbulence in Nematic Para-Azoxyanisole (PAA)

    • H. Bjerrum Møller, T. Riste, K. Otnes

    Pages 313-322

19. Rayleigh-Benard Instability: Experimental Findings Obtained by Light Scattering and Other Optical Methods

    • P. Bergé

    Pages 323-352

20. Dissipative Structures and their Mechanism of Onset

    • R. Lefever

    Pages 353-377

This book contains the papers presented at the NATO Advanced Study Institute held at Geilo, Norway, 11th - 20th April 1975. The institute was the third in a row devoted to phase transitions. The previous two dealt with 2nd- and 1st-order transitions in equilibrium systems and the proceedings have been published.i~ In order to make an overlap wi th those institutes, the first part of this institute was devoted to 1st -or der transitions with an emphasis on the problems of metast abi l i t y and instability en­ countered i n spinodal decomposition, nucleation etc. The main topic was, however, that of non-equilibrium systems, and the present institute was to our knowledge the first one devoted to the physics of such systems. The discovery of the analogy between phase transitions in equilibrium systems and instabilities in non-equilibrium systems was first made by Rolf Landauer in 1961 and later independently by others. The analogy was first pointed out for electronic devices (tunnel diodes, Gunn oscillators, lasers, etc. ) and the treatment of hydrodynamic instabilities followed later.

• growth
• phase transition
• stability

• Institute for Atomic Energy, Kjeller, Norway

  Tormod Riste

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