Global observables in statistical mechanics
Published: Oct 30, 2025
Last Updated: Oct 30, 2025
Authors:C. J. F. van de Ven
Abstract
This note presents a canonical construction of global observables -- sometimes referred to in the literature as macroscopic observables or observables at infinity -- in statistical mechanics, providing a unified treatment of both commutative and non-commutative cases. Unlike standard approaches, the framework is formulated directly in the $C^*$-algebraic setting, without relying on any specific representation.