Nonlinear transport equations in statistical mechanics

A simple projection operator method is developed for computing nonequilibrium ensemble averages for systems that are close to a state of local equilibrium. The formalism used here is a straight-forward generalization of the Mori-Zwanzig techniques used in linear response theory and it avoids many of the technical difficulties associated with time-dependent projection operators. The method is used here to derive gradient expansions for nonequibrium average values about their values in local equilibrium. This is used to derive the nonlinear hydrodynamic equations for a pure fluid, to Burnett order.