Kinetic Theory of Nonequilibrium Ensembles, Irreversible Thermodynamics, and Generalized Hydrodynamics

This book presents the fundamentals of irreversible thermodynamics for nonlinear transport processes in gases and liquids, as well as for generalized hydrodynamics extending the classical hydrodynamics of Navier, Stokes, Fourier, and Fick. Together with its companion volume on relativistic theories, it provides a comprehensive picture of the kinetic theory formulated from the viewpoint of nonequilibrium ensembles in both nonrelativistic and, in Vol. 2, relativistic contexts. Theories of macroscopic irreversible processes must strictly conform to the thermodynamiclaws at every step and in all approximations that enter their derivation from the mechanicalprinciples. Upholding this as the inviolable tenet, the author develops theories ofirreversible transport processes in fluids (gases or liquids) on the basis of irreversible kinetic equations satisfying the H theorem. They apply regardless of whether the processes arenear to or far removed from equilibrium, or whether they are linear or nonlinear withrespect to macroscopic fluxes or thermodynamic forces. Both irreversible Boltzmann and generalizedBoltzmann equations are used for deriving theories of irreversible transportequations and generalized hydrodynamic equations, which rigorously conformto the tenet. All observables described by the so-formulated theories therefore alsostrictly obey the tenet.