NUMBER PROJECTED STATISTICS AND THE PAIRING CORRELATIONS AT HIGH-EXCITATION ENERGIES

We analyze the use of particle-number projected statistics (PNPS) as an effective way to include the quantum and statistical fluctuations, associated with the pairing degree of freedom, left out in finite-temperature mean-field theories. As a numerical application the exact-soluble degenerate model is worked out. In particular, we find that the sharp temperature-induced superfluid-normal phase transition, predicted in the mean-field approximations, is washed out in the PNPS. Some approximations as well as the Landau prescription to include statistical fluctuations are also discussed. We find that the Landau prescription provides a reasonable approximation to the PNPS.