Equipartition in multicomponent gravitational systems

Abstract

view Abstract Citations (93) References (12) Co-Reads Similar Papers Volume Content Graphics Metrics Export Citation NASA/ADS Equipartition in multicomponent gravitational systems Inagaki, S. ; Saslaw, W. C. Abstract The role of energy equipartition and mass segregation in spherical dynamical systems having a large number of mass species is examined. The general requirements for equipartition and the conditions for various forms of equipartition to hold in gravitating systems are discussed. A series of computer simulations based on numerical integrations of the multicomponent Fokker-Planck equation is described. The results indicate that even local equipartition can occur temporarily near the center among all mass species even if the mass spectrum is very steep. It is also found that the evolved density distributions are not homologous, in contrast to previous assumptions, and that only the massive stars can be in approximate equipartition if the mass spectrum is not very steep. Therefore the kinetic temperature of most stars, which determines the structure of globular clusters, may differ from the temperature of the more readily observable luminous stars. A simple model for the stronger tendency equipartition among the more massive components is given. Publication: The Astrophysical Journal Pub Date: May 1985 DOI: 10.1086/163164 Bibcode: 1985ApJ...292..339I Keywords: Astronomical Models; Equipartition Theorem; Galactic Clusters; Galactic Evolution; Globular Clusters; Gravitational Collapse; Celestial Mechanics; Computational Astrophysics; Fokker-Planck Equation; Galactic Nuclei; Mass Spectra; Stellar Mass; Astrophysics full text sources ADS |