Gravitational thermodynamics

Gravitational thermodynamics

The gravitational N -body problem, for N > 2, is the oldest unsolved problem in mathematical physics. Some of the most ideal examples that can be found in nature are globular star clusters, with N ∼ 10. In this overview, I discuss six types of fundamental sources of unpredictability, each of which poses a different challenge to attempts to determine the long-term behavior of these systems, gove...

The postulates of gravitational thermodynamics.

The general principles and logical structure of a thermodynamic formalism that incorporates strongly self-gravitating systems are presented. This framework generalizes and simplifies the formulation of thermodynamics developed by Callen. The definition of extensive variables, the homogeneity properties of intensive parameters, and the fundamental problem of gravitational thermodynamics are disc...

Classical thermodynamics of gravitational collapse

Press-schechter, Thermodynamics, and Gravitational Clustering

For the special case of nonlinear gravitational clustering from an initially Poisson distribution , the counts-in-cells distribution function is obtained from the excursion set, Press-Schechter multiplicity function. This Poisson Press-Schechter distribution function has the same form as the gravitational quasi-equilibrium counts-in-cells distribution function, predicted by the Saslaw-Hamilton ...

Gravitational Entropy and the Second Law of Thermodynamics

The spontaneous violation of Lorentz and diffeomorphism invariance in a phase near the big bang lowers the entropy, allowing for an arrow of time and the second law of thermodynamics. The spontaneous symmetry breaking leads to O(3, 1) → O(3) × R, where O(3) is the rotational symmetry of the Friedmann–Lemaître–Robertson–Walker spacetime. The Weyl curvature tensor Cμνρσ vanishes in the FLRW space...