Abstract
Purely self-gravitating systems of point particles have been extensively studied inastrophysics and cosmology, mainly through numerical simulations, but understandingof their dynamics still remains extremely limited. We describe here results ofa detailed study of a simple class of cold quasi-uniform initial conditions, forboth finite open systems and infinite systems. These examples illustrate well thequalitative features of the quite different dynamics observed in each case, andalso clarify the relation between them. In the finite case our study highlightsthe potential importance of energy and mass ejection prior to virialization, aphenomenon which has been previously overlooked. We discuss for both cases thevalidity of a mean-field Vlasov–Poisson description of the dynamics observed, andspecifically the question of how particle number should be extrapolated to test forit.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: Journal of Statistical Mechanics: Theory and Experiment
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
