On the Statistical Mechanics of an Adiabatically Compressible Fluid

The extension of classical statistical mechanical methods to non-Hamiltonian systems is discussed. The statistical equilibrium of a confined adiabatically compressible fluid is examined on the basis of a generalized phase space representation, and it is found that there exists a tendency toward equipartition of energy between compressive and vorticity modes which is modified by the viscous dissipation forces. The application of the method to determining nonequilibrium energy transfers between acoustic modes and vorticity modes is discussed.