The multiscale approach to N-body systems is generalized to address the broad
continuum of long time and length scales associated with collective behaviors.
A technique is developed based on the concept of an uncountable set of time
variables and of order parameters (OPs) specifying major features of the
system. We adopt this perspective as a natural extension of the commonly used
discrete set of timescales and OPs which is practical when only a few,
widely-separated scales exist. The existence of a gap in the spectrum of
timescales for such a system (under quasiequilibrium conditions) is used to
introduce a continuous scaling and perform a multiscale analysis of the
Liouville equation. A functional-differential Smoluchowski equation is derived
for the stochastic dynamics of the continuum of Fourier component order
parameters. A continuum of spatially non-local Langevin equations for the OPs
is also derived. The theory is demonstrated via the analysis of structural
transitions in a composite material, as occurs for viral capsids and molecular
circuits.Comment: 28 pages, 1 figur