On the clustering phase transition in self-gravitating N-body systems

Year: 2001

Authors: Cerruti-Sola M., Cipriani P., Pettini M.

Autors Affiliation: Osservatorio Astrofisico di Arcetri, Largo E. Fermi 5, I-50125 Firenze, Italy;
Istituto Nazionale di Ottica Applicata, Largo E. Fermi 6, I-50125 Firenze, Italy;
ICRA, P.le della Repubblica 10, I-65121 Pescara, Italy

Abstract: The thermodynamic behaviour of self-gravitating N-body systems has been worked out by borrowing a standard method from molecular dynamics. The link between dynamics and thermodynamics is made in the microcanonical ensemble of statistical mechanics. Through the computation of basic thermodynamic observables and of the equation of state in the P – V plane, the clustering phase transition appears to be of the second-order type. The dynamical – microcanonical averages are compared with their corresponding canonical ensemble averages, obtained through standard Monte Carlo computations. The latter seem to have completely lost any information about the phase transition. Finally, our results obtained in a ’microscopic’ framework – are compared with some existing theoretical predictions – obtained in a ’macroscopic’ (thermodynamic) framework: qualitative and quantitative agreement is found, with an interesting exception.

Journal/Review: MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY

Volume: 328 (1)      Pages from: 339  to: 352

KeyWords: equation of state; stellar dynamics; methods : numerical; celestial mechanics
DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-8711.2001.04896.x

Citations: 14
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