Superstatistics: Theory and Applications

TL;DR

Superstatistics is a framework combining different statistical models to describe nonequilibrium systems with fluctuating parameters, encompassing Tsallis statistics and applicable to various physical phenomena.

Contribution

This paper introduces superstatistics as a unifying approach and demonstrates its application to turbulence, pattern formation, and cosmic ray statistics.

Findings

Superstatistics effectively models turbulence and cosmic ray data.

It generalizes Tsallis statistics for nonequilibrium systems.

Applications show good agreement with experimental data.

Abstract

Superstatistics is a superposition of two different statistics relevant for driven nonequilibrium systems with a stationary state and intensive parameter fluctuations. It contains Tsallis statistics as a special case. After briefly summarizing some of the theoretical aspects, we describe recent applications of this concept to three different physical problems, namely a) fully developed hydrodynamic turbulence b) pattern formation in thermal convection states and c) the statistics of cosmic rays.