Abstract
An exact formula is derived for the average frictional force acting upon a ‘test’ star which moves along a prescribed trajectory amongst a collection of ‘field’ stars which are characterized by a Maxwellian distribution of velocities. In the limit that the actual stellar trajectories may be approximated by their average forms, as determined by the mean gravitational field, one obtains a relatively simple expression which establishes an important connection with the fluctuation-dissipation theorem. For the case of an infinite, homogeneous system, one recovers Chandrasekhar's classical result. Alternatively, by allowing for the possibility of nearly periodic motion, one is led to new and intriguing phenomena.
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Kandrup, H.E. Dynamical friction in a mean field approximation. Astrophys Space Sci 97, 435–452 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00653499
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00653499