Abstract
The violently changing gravitational field of a newly formed galaxy is effective in changing the statistics of stellar orbits. The equilibrium distribution under this encounterless relaxation is found by use of a fourth type of statistics related to both Fermi–Dirac statistics and equipartition of energy per unit mass. In the relevant limit this becomes Maxwell's distribution but with temperature proportional to mass.
Keywords
PhysicsEquipartition theoremGalaxyStellar dynamicsAstrophysicsStatistical mechanicsRelaxation (psychology)Gravitational collapseGravitationDistribution (mathematics)Stellar massClassical mechanicsAstronomyStatistical physicsStar formationQuantum mechanicsMagnetic field
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Publication Info
- Year
- 1967
- Type
- article
- Volume
- 136
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 101-121
- Citations
- 1440
- Access
- Closed
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Cite This
D. Lynden–Bell
(1967).
Statistical Mechanics of Violent Relaxation in Stellar Systems.
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
, 136
(1)
, 101-121.
https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/136.1.101
Identifiers
- DOI
- 10.1093/mnras/136.1.101