Role of closed paths in the path integral approach of statistical thermodynamics

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that the calculation of equilibrium properties in the path integral formalism of statistical thermodynamics using closed paths is coordinate-independent, emphasizing the fundamental role of closed paths in describing equilibrium states.

Contribution

It proves that closed paths in the path integral approach are invariant under coordinate transformations, establishing their fundamental role in statistical thermodynamics.

Findings

Closed path calculations are coordinate-independent.

Change of coordinates preserving equations of motion does not affect closed paths.

Closed paths are essential for describing equilibrium states in thermodynamics.

Abstract

Thermodynamics is independent of a description at a microscopic level consequently statistical thermodynamics must produce results independent of the coordinate system used to describe the particles and their interactions. In the path integral formalism the equilibrium properties are cal- culated by using closed paths and an euclidean coordinate system. We show that the calculations on these paths are coordinates independent. In the change of coordinate systems we consider those preserving the physics on which we focus. Recently it has been shown that the path integral formalism can be built from the real motion of particles. We consider the change of coordinates for which the equations of motion are unchanged. Thus we have to deal with the canonical trans- formations. The Lagrangian is not uniquely defined and a change of coordinates introduces in hamiltonians the partial time derivative of an arbitrary function. We have show that the closed paths does not contain any arbitrary ingredients. This proof is inspired by a method used in gauge theory. Closed paths appear as the keystone on which we may describe the equilibrium states in statistical thermodynamics.