I wanted to know what "problem" Fermi and Dirac wanted to solve with the Fermi-Dirac distribution in 1926? What was the context? What is the history behind this distribution?
I hope the question is understandable.
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3$\begingroup$ This question could be best suited for History of Science and Mathematics SE (hsm.stackexchange.com) $\endgroup$– valerioCommented Dec 7, 2016 at 15:28
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Looks like Fermi was trying to solve some problems of the old quantum theory, such as independence of the specific heat of a monoatomic ideal gas on the temperature (https://books.google.com/books?id=DQLNCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA82&lpg=PA82&dq=fermi+statistics+original+paper&source=bl&ots=I98ibTdpls&sig=tQ4vhlNwGQbE4fEB6Ym5CEQryHg&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjk54DgteLQAhVp2IMKHZ5DBBoQ6AEIRTAH#v=onepage&q=fermi%20statistics%20original%20paper&f=false). By the way, Dirac's treatment of the statistics was not quite independent. He had read Fermi's article, but forgot about it. When Fermi wrote to Dirac about this issue, Dirac wrote him a letter with an apology. I read that in a book by Dirac. If there is interest, I'll try to find the reference.
EDIT(12/7/2016): Here's the reference: Dirac, The Origin of Quantum Field Theory // The Impact of Modern Scientific Ideas on Society, Dordrect, Holland, D. Reidel, 1981, pp.39-55 (see also information at https://cds.cern.ch/record/1177841?ln=en) I read the article in Russian translation
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$\begingroup$ Then we should call the statistics Fermi statistics (not Fermi-Dirac statistics) or Fermi-Pauli statistics! $\endgroup$ Commented Dec 7, 2016 at 16:05
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$\begingroup$ Thank you for your answer! It's a very intersting fact, I'd like to have the reference if you can find it. Thanks again! $\endgroup$– NassimCommented Dec 7, 2016 at 17:57
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