Self-gravitating Star Systems

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The Boltzmann equation for a star system in which the controlling forces are solely due to the gravitational attractions between the members is not strictly linear. For the restricted case of a system of stars of equal mass, stratified in plane parallel layers, the Boltzmann equation reduces to a nonlinear partial differential equation in three independent variables. Three functions which satisfy this equation have been found. Two of these correspond to the equilibrium configurations of an isothermal self-gravitating gas, and of an adiabatic gas. The hypothetical models can be compared with the greatly flattened galactic system, and there is considerable agreement between the observed variation of density with distance from the galactic plane and the variation predicted by one of the three solutions.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: