Microscopic treatment of fluctuations in finite quantum systems

Abstract

We describe a fully microscopic treatment of fluctuations in correlated finite systems at finite temperature, based on the static path approximation (SPA) to the partition function, which incorporates the large amplitude statistical fluctuations around mean field, and the ensuing SPA+RPA approach, which includes in addition the small amplitude quantal fluctuations. An application to the description of pairing, shape and orientation fluctuations in hot nuclei is then given. The treatment of constraints is also discussed.