Statistical Equilibrium Dynamics

TL;DR

This paper investigates the thermodynamic behavior of isolated Newtonian N-body systems, revealing that while individual macrostates are not globally in equilibrium, they are locally in thermodynamic equilibrium and maximize entropy.

Contribution

It demonstrates that macrostates in such systems are local equilibrium states and global entropy maximizers, even when not in strict global thermal equilibrium.

Findings

Macrostates are always locally in thermodynamic equilibrium.

Macrostates are global maximizers of maximum entropy.

Global thermal equilibrium is not necessarily achieved.

Abstract

The mean-field thermodynamic limit is studied for a class of isolated Newtonian N-body systems whose Hamiltonian admits several invariants of motion. It is shown that the macrostates of individual members of a statistical equilibrium ensemble are not necessarily themselves in a state of global thermal equilibrium in the strict sense. Yet they are always locally in thermodynamic equilibrium, and always global maximizers of the pertinent maximum entropy principle.