| Issue |
A&A
Volume 401, Number 1, April I 2003
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Page(s) | 15 - 42 | |
| Section | Astrophysical processes | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361:20021779 | |
| Published online | 17 March 2003 | |
Gravitational instability of isothermal and polytropic spheres
Laboratoire de Physique Quantique, Université Paul Sabatier, 118 route de Narbonne, 31062 Toulouse, France
Corresponding author: chavanis@irsamc2.ups-tlse.fr
Received:
3
July
2002
Accepted:
19
November
2002
We complete previous investigations on the thermodynamics of self-gravitating systems by studying the grand canonical, grand microcanonical and isobaric ensembles. We also discuss the stability of polytropic spheres in connexion with a generalized thermodynamical approach proposed by Tsallis. We determine in each case the onset of gravitational instability by analytical methods and graphical constructions in the Milne plane. We also discuss the relation between dynamical and thermodynamical stability of stellar systems and gaseous spheres. Our study provides an aesthetic and simple approach to this otherwise complicated subject.
Key words: stellar dynamics / hydrodynamics / instabilities / gravitation
© ESO, 2003
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