Stationary non-equilibrium states of infinite harmonic systems

We investigate the existence, properties and approach to stationary non-equilibrium states of infinite harmonic crystals. For classical systems these stationary states are, like the Gibbs states, Gaussian measures on the phase space of the infinite system (analogues results are true for quantum systems). Their ergodic properties are the same as those of the equilibrium states: e.g. for ordered periodic crystals they are Bernoulli. Unlike the equilibrium states however they are not stable towards perturbations in the potential.We are particularly concerned here with states in which there is a non-vanishing steady heat flux passing through every point of the infinite system. Such superheat-conducting states are of course only possible in systems in which Fourier's law does not hold: the perfect harmonic crystal being an example of such a system. For a one dimensional system, we find such states (explicitely) as limits, whent, of time evolved initial states _i in which the left and right parts of the infinite crystal are in equilibrium at different temperatures, _L ^–L _R ^–1 , and the middle part is in an arbitrary state. We also investigate the limit of these stationary (t) states as the coupling strength between the system and the reservoirs goes to zero. In this limit we obtain a product state, where the reservoirs are in equilibrium at temperatures _L ^–1 and _R ^–1 and the system is in the unique stationary state of the reduced dynamics in the weak coupling limit.On leave of absence from the Fachbereich Physik der Universität München. Work supported by a Max Kade Foundation FellowshipResearch supported in part by NSF Grant MPS75-20638