On Some Properties of Bose-Einstein Gases

Abstract

The condition which has to be fulfilled in order that the Bose‐Einstein condensation be accompanied by a discontinuity of the heat capacity at the condensation temperature is discussed. The nature of the transition depends on the distribution of the energy levels of the individual particles forming the gas. The condensation is studied for several types of individual energy spectra. It is shown that all those Bose‐Einstein (B.E.) assemblies which admit a non‐ambiguous definition of the statistical distribution function present, beside interesting analogies, a qualitatively different behavior from that observed in liquid helium. It appears that as long as the transition in momentum space of non‐ideal B.E. systems is not understood, the possibility of connection between B.E. condensation and the transition observed in liquid helium remains an open problem.