Generalized Entropies and Statistical Mechanics

TL;DR

This paper develops a method to define thermodynamic functions for generalized entropy forms, including non-extensive ones, and compares their effects on simple two-state systems.

Contribution

It introduces a numerical approach to compute free energy for arbitrary entropy functions, including new forms like the one proposed by the authors.

Findings

Free energy can be obtained as a root of a transcendental equation.

Comparison of Tsallis and new entropy forms on two-state systems.

Analysis of internal energy and specific heat for different entropy forms.

Abstract

We consider the problem of defining free energy and other thermodynamic functions when the entropy is given as a general function of the probablity distribution, including that for non extensive forms. We find that the free energy, which is central to the determination of all other quantities, can be obtained uniquely numerically ebven when it is the root of a transcendental equation. In particular we study the cases for Tsallis form and a new form proposed by us recently. We compare the free energy, the internal energy and the specific heat of a simple system two energy states for each of these forms.