Additivity of the entropy and definition of the temperature for quantum systems

A closed quantum systemL is considered which is described by a microcanonical ensemble.L consists of two rather weakly interacting subsystemsL ₁,L ₂. In a rigorous way, the additivity of the entropy is proved by deriving an expression for the entropy density ofL in terms of the entropy densities ofL ₁ andL ₂. Rigorous implies that the thermodynamic limit is taken. In the second part, it is shown how a microcanonical state of the composite system — provided this limit exists — gives rise to a canonical state , when restricted toL ₁, providedL ₁ is very small as compared toL ₂; is defined as a limit of Gibbs states. This yields a definition of the equilibrium temperature ^–1.On leave of absence from the Institut für Theoretische Physik, Universität Göttingen.