Stochastic approach to cooperative relaxation processes in solids

Relaxation and consolidation processes in solids (stress relaxation, physic al aging) exhibit a number of similarities, especially with regard to the k inetics involved. In this paper, we derive a kinetic formula representing t he time-domain equivalent of a Bose-Einstein (BE) distribution. The approac h is based on the master equation supplemented with a BE enhancement factor . The plausibility of the underlying physical mechanism is discussed, espec ially with regard to the clustering of the elementary transitions involved in such a process.