  The low-temperature normal-state specific heat and resistivity curves of
various nonmagnetic intermetallic compounds manifest an anomalous thermal
evolution. Such an anomaly is exhibited as a break in the slope of the
linearized C/T versus T^2 curve and as a drop in the R versus T curve, both at
the same T_{\beta}{\gamma}. It is related, not to a thermodynamic phase
transition, but to an anomaly in the density of states curves of the phonon or
electron subsystems. On representing these two anomalies as additional
Dirac-type delta functions, situated respectively at kB.{\theta}_L (for
lattice) and kB.{\theta}_E (for electrons), an analytical expression for the
total specific heat can be obtained. A least-square fit of this expression to
experimental specific heat curves of various compounds reproduced
satisfactorily all the features of the anomalous thermal evolution. The
obtained fit parameters (in particular the Sommerfeld constant, {\gamma}_{0},
and Debye temperatures, {\theta}_D, compare favorably with the reported values.
Furthermore, the analysis shows that (i) (T_{\beta}{\gamma}) / ({\theta}_D) =
0.2(1\pm1/\surd6) and (ii) {\gamma}_{0} {\propto} ({\theta}_D)^2; both
relations are in a reasonable agreement with the experimental results. Finally,
this analysis (based on the above arguments) justifies the often-used procedure
that treats the above anomaly in terms of either a thermal variation of
{\theta}_D or an additional Einstein mode.
