An algebraic theory of infinite classical lattices I: General theory

Abstract

We present an algebraic theory of the states of the infinite classical lattices. The construction follows the Haag-Kastler axioms from quantum field theory. By comparison, the *-algebras of the quantum theory are replaced here with the Banach lattices (MI-spaces) to have real-valued measurements, and the Gelfand-Naimark-Segal construction with the structure theorem for MI-spaces to represent the Segal algebra as C(X). The theory represents any compact convex set of states as a decomposition problem of states on an abstract Segal algebra C(X), where X is isomorphic with the space of extremal states of the set. Three examples are treated, the study of groups of symmetries and symmetry breakdown, the Gibbs states, and the set of all stationary states on the lattice. For relating the theory to standard problems of statistical mechanics, it is shown that every thermodynamic-limit state is uniquely identified by expectation values with an algebraic state.