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arXiv · 0909.1447

Energy landscape and phase transitions in the self-gravitating ring model

Cesare Nardini·Lapo Casetti
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Abstract

We apply a recently proposed criterion for the existence of phase transitions, which is based on the properties of the saddles of the energy landscape, to a simplified model of a system with gravitational interactions, referred to as the self-gravitating ring model. We show analytically that the criterion correctly singles out the phase transition between a homogeneous and a clustered phase and also suggests the presence of another phase transition, not previously known. On the basis of the properties of the energy landscape we conjecture on the nature of the latter transition.

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Cesare Nardini, Lapo Casetti. 2009-09-08. Energy landscape and phase transitions in the self-gravitating ring model. https://doi.org/10.1103/physreve.80.060103

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