Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
2008-06-16
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
17 pages, 6 figures. Chapter of the volume ``Dynamics and Thermodynamics of systems with long range interactions: theory and
Scientific paper
We discuss the differences and analogies of gravitational clustering in finite and infinite systems. The process of collective, or violent, relaxation leading to the formation of quasi-stationary states is one of the distinguished features in the dynamics of self-gravitating systems. This occurs, in different conditions, both in a finite than in an infinite system, the latter embedded in a static or in an expanding background. We then discuss, by considering some simple and paradigmatic examples, the problems related to the definition of a mean-field approach to gravitational clustering, focusing on role of discrete fluctuations. The effect of these fluctuations is a basic issue to be clarified to establish the range of scales and times in which a collision-less approximation may describe the evolution of a self-gravitating system and for the theoretical modeling of the non-linear phase.
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