This primer is a comprehensive collection of analytical and numerical techniques that can be used to extract the non-perturbative physics of quantum field theories. The intriguing connection between Euclidean Quantum Field Theories (QFTs) and statistical mechanics can be used to apply Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods to investigate strongly coupled QFTs. The overwhelming amount of reliable results coming from the field of lattice quantum chromodynamics stands out as an excellent example of MCMC methods in QFTs in action. MCMC methods have revealed the non-perturbative phase structures, symmetry breaking, and bound states of particles in QFTs. The applications also resulted in new outcomes due to cross-fertilization with research areas such as AdS/CFT correspondence in string theory and condensed matter physics. The book is aimed at advanced undergraduate students and graduate students in physics and applied mathematics, and researchers in MCMC simulations and QFTs. At the end of this book the reader will be able to apply the techniques learned to produce more independent and novel research in the field.

Featuring detailed explanations of the major algorithms used in quantum Monte Carlo simulations, this is the first textbook of its kind to provide a pedagogical overview of the field and its applications. The book provides a comprehensive introduction to the Monte Carlo method, its use, and its foundations, and examines algorithms for the simulation of quantum many-body lattice problems at finite and zero temperature. These algorithms include continuous-time loop and cluster algorithms for quantum spins, determinant methods for simulating fermions, power methods for computing ground and excited states, and the variational Monte Carlo method. Also discussed are continuous-time algorithms for quantum impurity models and their use within dynamical mean-field theory, along with algorithms for analytically continuing imaginary-time quantum Monte Carlo data. The parallelization of Monte Carlo simulations is also addressed. This is an essential resource for graduate students, teachers, and researchers interested in quantum Monte Carlo techniques.

In the last three decades, there has been a dramatic increase in the use of interacting particle methods as a powerful tool in real-world applications of Monte Carlo simulation in computational physics, population biology, computer sciences, and statistical machine learning. Ideally suited to parallel and distributed computation, these advanced particle algorithms include nonlinear interacting jump diffusions; quantum, diffusion, and resampled Monte Carlo methods; Feynman-Kac particle models; genetic and evolutionary algorithms; sequential Monte Carlo methods; adaptive and interacting Markov chain Monte Carlo models; bootstrapping methods; ensemble Kalman filters; and interacting particle filters. Mean Field Simulation for Monte Carlo Integration presents the first comprehensive and modern mathematical treatment of mean field particle simulation models and interdisciplinary research topics, including interacting jumps and McKean-Vlasov processes, sequential Monte Carlo methodologies, genetic particle algorithms, genealogical tree-based algorithms, and quantum and diffusion Monte Carlo methods. Along with covering refined convergence analysis on nonlinear Markov chain models, the author discusses applications related to parameter estimation in hidden Markov chain models, stochastic optimization, nonlinear filtering and multiple target tracking, stochastic optimization, calibration and uncertainty propagations in numerical codes, rare event simulation, financial mathematics, and free energy and quasi-invariant measures arising in computational physics and population biology. This book shows how mean field particle simulation has revolutionized the field of Monte Carlo integration and stochastic algorithms. It will help theoretical probability researchers, applied statisticians, biologists, statistical physicists, and computer scientists work better across their own disciplinary boundaries.

This book teaches modern Markov chain Monte Carlo (MC) simulation techniques step by step. The material should be accessible to advanced undergraduate students and is suitable for a course. It ranges from elementary statistics concepts (the theory behind MC simulations), through conventional Metropolis and heat bath algorithms, autocorrelations and the analysis of the performance of MC algorithms, to advanced topics including the multicanonical approach, cluster algorithms and parallel computing. Therefore, it is also of interest to researchers in the field. The book relates the theory directly to Web-based computer code. This allows readers to get quickly started with their own simulations and to verify many numerical examples easily. The present code is in Fortran 77, for which compilers are freely available. The principles taught are important for users of other programming languages, like C or C++.

This new expanded second edition has been totally revised and corrected. The reader finds two complete new chapters. One covers the exact solution of the finite temperature Schwinger model with periodic boundary conditions. This simple model supports instanton solutions – similarly as QCD – and allows for a detailed discussion of topological sectors in gauge theories, the anomaly-induced breaking of chiral symmetry and the intriguing role of fermionic zero modes. The other new chapter is devoted to interacting fermions at finite fermion density and finite temperature. Such low-dimensional models are used to describe long-energy properties of Dirac-type materials in condensed matter physics. The large-N solutions of the Gross-Neveu, Nambu-Jona-Lasinio and Thirring models are presented in great detail, where N denotes the number of fermion flavors. Towards the end of the book corrections to the large-N solution and simulation results of a finite number of fermion flavors are presented. Further problems are added at the end of each chapter in order to guide the reader to a deeper understanding of the presented topics. This book is meant for advanced students and young researchers who want to acquire the necessary tools and experience to produce research results in the statistical approach to Quantum Field Theory.

Over the past several decades, computational approaches to studying strongly-interacting systems have become increasingly varied and sophisticated. This book provides a comprehensive introduction to state-of-the-art quantum Monte Carlo techniques relevant for applications in correlated systems. Providing a clear overview of variational wave functions, and featuring a detailed presentation of stochastic samplings including Markov chains and Langevin dynamics, which are developed into a discussion of Monte Carlo methods. The variational technique is described, from foundations to a detailed description of its algorithms. Further topics discussed include optimisation techniques, real-time dynamics and projection methods, including Green's function, reptation and auxiliary-field Monte Carlo, from basic definitions to advanced algorithms for efficient codes, and the book concludes with recent developments on the continuum space. Quantum Monte Carlo Approaches for Correlated Systems provides an extensive reference for students and researchers working in condensed matter theory or those interested in advanced numerical methods for electronic simulation.

This book discusses the computational approach in modern statistical physics in a clear and accessible way and demonstrates its close relation to other approaches in theoretical physics. Individual chapters focus on subjects as diverse as the hard sphere liquid, classical spin models, single quantum particles and Bose-Einstein condensation. Contained within the chapters are in-depth discussions of algorithms, ranging from basic enumeration methods to modern Monte Carlo techniques. The emphasis is on orientation, with discussion of implementation details kept to a minimum. Illustrations, tables and concise printed algorithms convey key information, making the material very accessible. The book is completely self-contained and graphs and tables can readily be reproduced, requiring minimal computer code. Most sections begin at an elementary level and lead on to the rich and difficult problems of contemporary computational and statistical physics. The book will be of interest to a wide range of students, teachers and researchers in physics and the neighbouring sciences. An accompanying CD allows incorporation of the book's content (illustrations, tables, schematic programs) into the reader's own presentations.

This book describes all aspects of Monte Carlo simulation of complex physical systems encountered in condensed-matter physics and statistical mechanics, as well as in related fields, such as polymer science and lattice gauge theory. The authors give a succinct overview of simple sampling methods and develop the importance sampling method. In addition they introduce quantum Monte Carlo methods, aspects of simulations of growth phenomena and other systems far from equilibrium, and the Monte Carlo Renormalization Group approach to critical phenomena. The book includes many applications, examples, and current references, and exercises to help the reader.

This book introduces a large number of topics in lattice gauge theories, including analytical as well as numerical methods. It provides young physicists with the theoretical background and basic computational tools in order to be able to follow the extensive literature on the subject, and to carry out research on their own. Whenever possible, the basic ideas and technical inputs are demonstrated in simple examples, so as to avoid diverting the readers' attention from the main line of thought. Sufficient technical details are however given so that he can fill in the remaining details with the help of the cited literature without too much effort.This volume is designed for graduate students in theoretical elementary particle physics or statistical mechanics with a basic knowledge in Quantum Field Theory.

Since their popularization in the 1990s, Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods have revolutionized statistical computing and have had an especially profound impact on the practice of Bayesian statistics. Furthermore, MCMC methods have enabled the development and use of intricate models in an astonishing array of disciplines as diverse as fisherie