Large Deviation Theory
Teunis C. Dorlas · Statistical mechanics · 2021
We want to generalize the theory of the previous chapter to particles with more than two energy levels. To this end we shall first generalize Laplace’s theorem to a result more suited to the general situation. This generalization is called large-deviation theory . In chapter 21 we apply this theory in re-deriving equation ( 19.10 ) for the entropy of a paramagnet. In chapter 22 we consider the more general situation. Large-deviation theory also has important applications in other areas of mathematics, for example information theory, dynamical systems, and queueing theory. See problems II-19 to II-23.