Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2024/iii/paper-303/3/a/i/solution

When all masses are equal, the free energy depends on the real vector only through inner products, so its symmetry is the orthogonal group . The mean-field potential is
For , its unique minimum is , which preserves . For , the minima form the sphere
Choosing one minimum leaves the subgroup that fixes its direction, so spontaneous symmetry breaking gives .

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