Quasiharmonic lattice dynamics of Bravais lattices. I. Mechanisms in central force models

A rigorous theoretical study is undertaken of the application of quasiharmonic lattice dynamics to a Bravais lattice with central forces. Expressions are derived which reveal the physical mechanisms determining the frequencies, directions of polarization and Gruneisen tensors of individual normal modes, for both cubic and arbitrary symmetry. Many of the concepts can be applied to models with arbitrary interatomic interactions and non-Bravais lattices.