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Path-integral calculation of the third virial coefficient of quantum gases at low temperatures

Published

Author(s)

Allan H. Harvey, Giovanni Garberoglio

Abstract

We derive path-integral expressions for the second and third virial coefficients of monatomic quantum gases. Unlike previous work that considered only Boltzmann statistics, we include exchange effects (Bose-Einstein or Fermi-Dirac statistics). We use state-of-the-art pair and three-body potentials to calculate the third virial coefficient of 3He and 4He in the temperature range 2.6-24.5561 K. We obtain uncertainties smaller than those of the limited experimental data. Inclusion of exchange effects is necessary to obtain accurate results below about 7 K.
Citation
Journal of Chemical Physics
Volume
134

Keywords

helium, quantum statistical mechanics, thermodynamics, virial coefficients

Citation

Harvey, A. and Garberoglio, G. (2011), Path-integral calculation of the third virial coefficient of quantum gases at low temperatures, Journal of Chemical Physics (Accessed December 3, 2024)

Issues

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Created April 5, 2011, Updated February 19, 2017