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For a function of n variables, the number of negative eigenvalues of the Hessian matrix at a critical point is called the index of the critical point. A non-degenerate critical point is a local maximum if and only if the index is n, or, equivalently, if the Hessian matrix is negative definite; it is a local minimum if the index is zero, or ...
Otherwise it is non-degenerate, and called a Morse critical point of . The Hessian matrix plays an important role in Morse theory and catastrophe theory, because its kernel and eigenvalues allow classification of the critical points. [2] [3] [4]
In thermodynamics, a critical point (or critical state) is the end point of a phase equilibrium curve. One example is the liquid–vapor critical point, the end point of the pressure–temperature curve that designates conditions under which a liquid and its vapor can coexist.
A less trivial example of a degenerate critical point is the origin of the monkey saddle. The index of a non-degenerate critical point of is the dimension of the largest subspace of the tangent space to at on which the Hessian is negative definite.
when λ → ∞, f (x) is continuous, and S(z) has a degenerate saddle point, is a very rich problem, whose solution heavily relies on the catastrophe theory. Here, the catastrophe theory replaces the Morse lemma, valid only in the non-degenerate case, to transform the function S(z) into one of
David R. Lide (ed), CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 85th Edition, online version. CRC Press. Boca Raton, Florida, 2003; Section 6, Fluid Properties; Critical Constants. Also agrees with Celsius values from Section 4: Properties of the Elements and Inorganic Compounds, Melting, Boiling, Triple, and Critical Point Temperatures of the Elements
The second statement is that when f is a Morse function, so that the singular points of f are non-degenerate and isolated, then the question can be reduced to the case n = 1. In fact, then, a choice of g can be made to split the integral into cases with just one critical point P in each.
The critical point is described by a conformal field theory. According to the renormalization group theory, the defining property of criticality is that the characteristic length scale of the structure of the physical system, also known as the correlation length ξ, becomes infinite. This can happen along critical lines in phase space.