Macroscopic Determinism in Noninteracting Systems Using Large Deviation Theory

Abstract

We consider a general system of n noninteracting identical particles which evolve under a given dynamical law and whose initial microstates are a priori independent. The time evolution of the n-particle average of a bounded function on the particle microstates is then examined in the large n limit. Using the theory of large deviations, we show that if the initial macroscopic average is constrained to be near a given value, then the macroscopic average at a given time converges in probability, as n goes to infinity, to a value given explicitly in terms of a canonical expectation. Some general features of the resulting deterministic curve are examined, particularly in regard to continuity, symmetry, and convergence.