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Self-gravitating stellar systems and non-extensive thermostatistics

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Abstract.

After introducing the fundamental properties of self-gravitating systems, we present an application of Tsallis’ generalized entropy to the analysis of their thermodynamic nature. By extremizing the Tsallis entropy, we obtain an equation of state known as the stellar polytrope. For a self-gravitating stellar system confined within a perfectly reflecting wall, we discuss the thermodynamic instability caused by its negative specific heat. The role of the extremum as a quasi-equilibrium is also demonstrated from the results of N-body simulations.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies, Kyoto University, 606-8501, Kyoto, Japan

    M. Sakagami

  2. Research Center for the Early Universe(RESCEU), School of Science, University of Tokyo, 113-0033, Tokyo, Japan

    A. Taruya

Authors
  1. M. Sakagami
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  2. A. Taruya
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. Sakagami.

Additional information

Communicated by M. Sugiyama

Received: 10 July 2003, Accepted: 27 October 2003, Published online: 3 February 2004

PACS:

98.10. + z, 05.70.Ln, 05.20.-y

Correspondence to: M. Sakagami

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Sakagami, M., Taruya, A. Self-gravitating stellar systems and non-extensive thermostatistics. Continuum Mech. Thermodyn. 16, 279–292 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00161-003-0168-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00161-003-0168-7

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