Heat and Gravitation: The Action Principle

Abstract

This first article of a series formulates the thermodynamics of ideal gases in a constant gravitational field in terms of an action principle that is closely integrated with thermodynamics. The theory, in its simplest form, does not deviate from standard practice, but it lays the foundations for a more systematic approach to the various extensions, such as the incorporation of radiation, the consideration of mixtures and the integration with General Relativity. We study the interaction between an ideal gas and the photon gas, and propose a new approach to this problem. We study the propagation of sound in a vertical, isothermal column and are led to suggest that the theory is incomplete, and to ask whether the true equilibrium state of an ideal gas may turn out be adiabatic, in which case the role of solar radiation is merely to compensate for the loss of energy by radiation into the cosmos. An experiment with a centrifuge is proposed, to determine the influence of gravitation on the equilibrium distribution with a very high degree of precision.