Statistical Mechanics of Classical Glasses

Understanding the transition from a supercooled liquid to a glass is an important unsolved problem in science. Although an aged glass has time independent properties, it is not in true thermodynamic equilibrium. It is a time independent, nondissipative, nonergodic, nonequilibrium state. Over the last two years we have developed the first rigorous mathematical description of the molecular distribution in glasses. Using this theory and computer simulation, we plan to study: the dynamic range of linear response to external perturbations in glasses and Kauzmann's Paradox. Using rheology this research will also answer a very simple but fundamental question: Is a glass an arrested fluid? Or is it a disordered solid?