Use a mass-normalized galactic distribution function , so that and . Multiplying the stationary Collisionless Boltzmann equation by and integrating over velocity space gives
Assume the galactic distribution function decays sufficiently rapidly for the velocity boundary term to vanish. Integration by parts then gives , and therefore the Jeans equations are
The second moment includes both ordered motion and velocity dispersion; no assumption of zero mean velocity was needed.
To obtain the tensor virial theorem, multiply the th Jeans equation by and integrate over position. For an isolated, finite system with a vanishing spatial surface term,
Since the left side is , . This convention puts all stellar second moments into ; it does not separate ordered and random kinetic energies.
For a self-gravitating system, the trace is the Newtonian gravitational potential energy. Indeed, symmetrizing the pair integral gives
Thus the trace of the tensor virial theorem is , and the total energy obeys
These identities require self-gravity without an additional external potential or an omitted confining boundary pressure.
Let now denote a mass-weighted average over the entire initial system. Then . The gravitational radius is defined by , so the virial theorem immediately yields
The gravitational radius measures total binding energy, rather than a particular geometric edge or half-mass radius.
For the accreted systems define the mass-weighted internal mean-square speed by . If each satellite initially satisfies the virial theorem, its internal energy contributes to . In parabolic dry-merger energy accounting, the orbital energy at large separation is zero. Assume a dry galaxy merger, no loss of mass or energy through escaping stars, no external work, and a final relaxed system satisfying the virial theorem. Then conservation of energy gives and . Energy transferred by Chandrasekhar dynamical friction remains part of the total energy under these assumptions. Consequently,
Applying the final virial theorem and dividing by the initial relation gives
For a mass doubling, . A merger of two identical equilibrated galaxies has , hence . For accretion through many minor galaxy mergers whose satellites have much smaller internal mean-square speeds, , hence , tending to in the cold-satellite limit. Equivalently, nearly fixed total energy makes the gravitational radius scale as during cold minor-merger size growth. Small satellite mass alone does not logically imply : the factor four also requires this weak-binding assumption. Likewise, equal masses require comparable internal binding to give the factor two. These are the physical limits behind the two stated merger comparisons.
In the center of mass frame, the velocities are and . Hence the kinetic energy is , while the Newtonian gravitational potential energy is . The two-body orbital energy is therefore
The relative equation of Newtonian gravity is . It is a central force, so conservation of angular momentum confines the motion to a plane and preserves the specific angular momentum .
For completeness, derive the polar equation of a Kepler orbit. Let and use primes for derivatives. Then and . The radial equation gives the Binet equation
Choose the angular origin at closest approach. Its solution is , so
For the ellipse, the orbital eccentricity satisfies . Its extreme separations are and . The semi-major axis is half their sum, giving and thus . The true anomaly runs through a full ; the endpoints are the same position, and for a circular Kepler orbit the angular origin is arbitrary.
The radial and transverse relative speeds are and . Substituting these into the specific orbital energy gives
Therefore the conserved orbital energy is
The negative specific orbital energy and fixed angular momentum characterize the bound Kepler orbit; neither should be assumed unchanged through a mass-ejecting explosion.
Initially the circular Kepler orbit has and . Treat the supernova kick in a binary star as impulsive: the relative position does not change, the companion's velocity is unchanged during the impulse, and the new neutron star receives with . Thus , and with the angle between these vectors before the kick,
Write , and . The post-explosion specific orbital energy is
Using gives
Here for a bound Kepler orbit. For a hyperbolic Kepler orbit, this formula uses the signed energy parameter , rather than the positive geometric magnitude of the hyperbola's semi-major axis. At the parabolic Kepler orbit boundary, .
The kick-direction binary survival criterion is bound if and unbound with positive asymptotic speed if . To prove the printed sufficient disruption condition, choose a perpendicular kick, : then , so produces positive specific orbital energy. This is sufficient, not the sharp existence threshold. Since
the complete kick-direction binary survival criterion is
The second inequality follows by taking a kick directly opposite to . All directions remain bound if , while every direction has positive escape energy if . For , the marginal direction obeys when the right-hand side lies in . Equalities give marginal parabolic Kepler orbits for the relevant extreme direction. With zero kick, losing more than half the original total mass unbinds the circular Kepler orbit.
For an escaping pair, the Newtonian gravitational potential energy approaches zero at infinite separation. Conservation of the post-explosion two-body orbital energy then gives , or the asymptotic relative speed of a disrupted binary
This is the relative recession speed, not the velocity of the new center of mass or either star's individual velocity in the original inertial frame. A marginal parabolic Kepler orbit separates with at infinity.
Write for the constant isothermal sound speed squared and for the constant Alfvén speed squared. The horizontal magnetic field has no vertical magnetic tension; magnetostatic equilibrium is
Consequently the magnetized isothermal atmosphere has
The sign of specifies the orientation of the magnetic field. The adiabatic sound speed is , also constant.
For the proposed normal mode, let , , and temporarily write for its constant complex amplitude. The divergence amplitude is . Using and , the Eulerian and Lagrangian fluid perturbations give
Since , the magnetohydrodynamic total pressure amplitude is
The vertical derivative of is . For the magnetic tension perturbation, the terms proportional to from and cancel, leaving
Thus the linearization really reduces to the constant-coefficient eigenvalue problem
For a static ideal magnetohydrodynamics equilibrium with conservative gravitational acceleration, the magnetohydrodynamic energy principle gives a Hermitian operator for the restoring force in the mass density weighted inner product, provided the surface terms vanish. The factor removes the exponential mass density weight. This can be checked directly, without assuming stability: set , , and . Then , where
This is a Hermitian matrix for real and real positive . Therefore every squared frequency is real; negative values give exponential growth, rather than an oscillation with a complex squared frequency. In an infinite atmosphere these are generalized plane waves, not finite-total-energy global modes.
At and , the equation, after cancelling its magnetic terms, gives . For nonzero magnetic field, the equation also gives . Substituting and then yields
For a nontrivial mode ; otherwise these equations and force every component to vanish. Substitution in the vertical equation gives
For example, the determinant provides an independent check:
To prove the claimed “if and only if”, rather than merely locating a zero eigenvalue, use the magnetic buoyancy energy criterion
If , every term is nonnegative, so all eigenvalues are nonnegative for every wavevector, including . If , choose , any fixed , and , , . The first two squares vanish; the remaining value is
which is negative for sufficiently small nonzero . The Rayleigh quotient of this displacement is therefore negative, proving a negative eigenvalue and an unstable normal mode. This uses precisely the assumption that boundary conditions do not exclude the chosen wavelengths. Equality is a neutral threshold, not exponential growth.
Finally the plasma beta is . Hence
The magnetic field is assumed nonzero in the marginal-mode elimination and in the finite expression. The positive-sound-speed, nonmagnetic limit remains covered by the energy identity; for the usual it is stable. Parker instability occurs because magnetic pressure supports part of the atmosphere's weight while the gas can drain along gently bent magnetic field lines. The resulting buoyant displacement can release Newtonian gravitational potential energy; choosing long wavelengths along the magnetic field makes the stabilizing magnetic tension small. The completed-square calculation quantifies this competition, including the adiabatic process restoring force.
Let be the separation of the two centres at release. The two-body problem has relative specific orbital energy . Marginal escape has , so
This follows equally by equating the relative kinetic energy to the magnitude of the Newtonian gravitational potential energy , where .
For a pointlike comet released at the planet's surface, , giving the usual . If the finite comet touches that surface, its centre is at ; the same formula uses this larger separation. The assumption by itself does not imply . Subsequent formulas written in terms of the planet-only escape velocity use the additional small-comet approximation.
This is local escape from an isolated planet. In a stellar Newtonian gravitational field, reaching the edge of the Hill sphere and escaping the stellar system are different energy thresholds.
Let be the centre of the Earth and let be its mass. Since and , the law of cosines in triangle gives the ball's initial distance from as
The surface value of the Newtonian gravitational field satisfies . Using the Newtonian gravitational potential energy , conservation of energy now gives
Therefore
The shell equation is conservative because its radial acceleration is the negative derivative of the specific potential energy
Multiplying the equation of motion by gives
Hence
This is energy per unit shell mass. The total energy of a uniform sphere requires integrating the energies of its shells.
For a sphere of physical radius , the shell theorem gives and . Assemble the sphere shell by shell to obtain its Newtonian gravitational potential energy:
The cosmological constant contributes a prescribed one-body potential , rather than a pair interaction, so there is no additional factor :
Evaluating at the turnaround radius gives
As in the question, here includes the factor that would multiply the geometrical cosmological constant in SI units.
For the final equilibrium apply the scalar virial theorem. The gravitational virial is , whereas the cosmological constant force contributes
Thus, neglecting a surface-pressure term,
At fixed , a positive cosmological constant reduces the kinetic energy needed for virial equilibrium because its outward acceleration partially offsets self-gravity.
For the uniform-sphere collapse with a cosmological constant, assume a uniform final sphere of the same mass, with no energy loss or escaping matter. Put
The sphere has no bulk kinetic energy at turnaround, so . The final virial theorem gives
Since ,
Conservation of energy therefore gives
Select the collapsing branch continuous from at , rather than an unrelated root of the cubic equation.
For , the root lies close to . Linearize there:
Substitution into the cubic equation gives , whence
The rational expression is an approximation, not an exact solution of the cubic equation. In fact both it and the exact collapsing root agree through order ; their first difference is of order .
With zero cosmological constant, spherical collapse gives . For small positive , the same sphere with the same turnaround radius reaches a smaller final radius. This does not mean that repulsion promotes collapse: as the sphere contracts, becomes less negative, so some released gravitational binding energy pays the energetic cost of moving inward against the repulsive force. Combined with the modified virial theorem, energy conservation requires a more compact endpoint. Positive can prevent turnaround altogether; an inward acceleration at requires
The perturbative radius formula applies well inside this limit, for spheres that actually turn around. A small negative cosmological constant instead gives at fixed turnaround data.
For a Keplerian accretion disk, , so
Here is the dissipation summed over the two faces. The total luminosity is
This is the binding energy per unit mass of a circular orbit at the inner edge, multiplied by the accretion rate. The zero-torque inner boundary condition ensures that no additional mechanical work enters from smaller radii.
The luminosity emitted outside radius is
Writing , the condition becomes . Its physical root is , and hence
Half of a thin disk's luminosity therefore comes from only the innermost factor four in radius, so strong-gravity effects and the inner-boundary condition strongly influence its observed spectrum.
Take and . Initially the two masses are in the product state
The branch-dependent Newtonian gravitational potential energy is . Under the stated approximation, only the branch acquires an appreciable relative phase, so after time ,
The determinant of its two-by-two coefficient matrix is , which is nonzero unless is a multiple of . Thus the state generally has Schmidt rank two: the branch-dependent gravitational phase creates gravitationally induced entanglement.
An entanglement witness has a bound obeyed by every separable quantum state and violated by at least one entangled state. For a product state with Bloch vectors and ,
by the Cauchy-Schwarz inequality. Convexity gives the same bound for every separable mixed state. Consequently certifies entanglement; in conventional operator form, one of has negative expectation whenever the absolute-value criterion is violated.
For the state above, direct use of the Pauli matrices gives
With the supplied values,
which is close to . Hence , and to the nearest integer
This is the operating principle of the Bose--Marletto--Vedral experiment.
For a neutron in the Earth's Newtonian gravitational potential , the Schrödinger equation is
Near the surface, up to an additive constant.
The Colella–Overhauser–Werner experiment uses crystal slabs as coherent beam splitters and mirrors in a neutron interferometer. The two paths contain horizontal segments of length separated vertically by , then recombine. The gravitational potential energy difference is . A neutron of speed spends time on a horizontal segment, so the gravitationally induced relative quantum phase is
Using the de Broglie wavelength and gives
Rotating the apparatus changes the vertical projection of its enclosed area from zero to . The number of full interference oscillations is therefore
Here , so
The expected change is therefore oscillations to the nearest integer.
For particle positions , the two-particle Schrödinger equation is
Write for the localized wave packet and . Neglecting packet spreading and branch overlap, the initial product state evolves branchwise as
up to phases generated independently on the two particles. These branch-dependent phases generally cannot be separated into one phase depending only on and one depending only on , so the Newtonian gravitational potential energy creates gravitationally induced entanglement.
If is much smaller than the other separations, remove their nearly common phase and retain only
The state is approximately
Its concurrence is , so it becomes maximally entangled first at . For ,
Thus the near-maximal entanglement time is about within the stated approximation.
A single prescribed classical gravitational potential gives a Hamiltonian of the form . Its evolution factorizes as and preserves every initial product state, so it cannot generate this entanglement. A semiclassical mean field sourced only by expectation values likewise gives each particle a local one-body potential and does not provide a quantum mediator carrying branch correlations.
An entanglement witness is a Hermitian operator whose expectation is nonnegative on every separable state but negative on at least one entangled state. At , define
The largest Schmidt coefficient of is , so every product state in the four-dimensional branch subspace satisfies . By closure under convex combinations, for every separable mixture, whereas
A negative measured value therefore certifies entanglement. Under the assumptions that the masses began unentangled and interacted only through gravity, such certification would show that the mediator can transmit quantum coherence; it would be evidence against a purely classical gravitational channel and for the quantum nature of gravity.
For positions , the two-particle Schrödinger equation is
Neglecting packet spreading and writing for , branchwise evolution gives
up to local kinetic phases. This branch-dependent Newtonian gravitational potential energy produces gravitationally induced entanglement.
Under the stated distance approximation, only the three branches acquire an appreciable common phase
The coefficient matrix is
where is the all-ones matrix. The reduced density matrix is
It equals when , so the first maximally entangled state occurs at . Therefore
The state does not remain entangled for every . Whenever , all branch phases again agree and the state returns to its initial product state. The revival period is
For equal masses with positions , the two-body Schrödinger equation is
Neglecting wave-packet spreading and overlap, write for the packet . The initial state and its branchwise gravitational evolution are
up to local kinetic phases. The branch dependence of the Newtonian gravitational potential energy is the source of gravitationally induced entanglement.
Under the approximation stated in the question, only the matching pairs acquire an appreciable common phase
The coefficient matrix of the resulting bipartite state is
where is the all-ones matrix. Therefore
A maximally entangled state would require . This demands
That equation has no solution for . Thus the requested large- conclusion does not follow from the assumptions printed in the paper: within the stated approximation, the system never becomes maximally entangled in the large- limit. For completeness, maximal entanglement is possible for at and for at ; for it occurs at or . The time would be
but it is not a large- answer.
The system also does not remain entangled for every . Whenever , the phase matrix again factorizes and the state returns to its initial product state. The revival period is
For it is entangled at all intervening times; for there is the additional product-state revival at .
For a homologous, isolated collapsing sphere, write its Newtonian gravitational potential energy as . At spherical-collapse turnaround the coherent kinetic energy vanishes. Conserving total energy and applying the virial theorem to the final equilibrium gives and hence . If the gravitational structure coefficient changes, the ratio is instead. Mass loss, surface pressure, external tides and energy exchange also change this estimate.
Virial theorem Created 2026-09-24 Updated 2026-10-13
The virial theorem relates the average value of a function along a trajectory to the forces that bind it. For an isolated system of particles interacting through Newtonian gravitational potential energy, it gives : the average kinetic energy is half the magnitude of the average negative potential energy. An eccentric Kepler orbit makes the distinction vivid: kinetic energy and potential energy vary throughout the orbit, although their sum is constant. The relation concerns their time averages, rather than their values at every instant. It underlies the virial mass estimate and the negative heat capacity of a virialized gravitational system.
Use constant positive particle masses , positions , mechanical momenta , and total kinetic energy . The auxiliary quantity is a sum of dot products, not the gravitational constant, which we denote here by :
This finite- identity is exact wherever Newton's second law holds along a regular trajectory; must include every force. The endpoint term is what a finite observation window leaves behind. For the infinite-time theorem, suppose the averages on the left exist and . A sufficient condition is uniformly bounded positions and velocities for finitely many particles. More generally suffices, even without those individual bounds. Bounded positions alone do not supply a bound on momenta, especially near a singular potential energy; nor does a small endpoint term prove thermodynamic equilibrium. Periodic motion with gives the identity without an endpoint term at that finite . For an isolated system, use an inertial centre of mass frame so translational drift does not contribute bulk kinetic energy.[ref]
For a differentiable potential energy that is a homogeneous function of degree , choose its additive constant so that the scaling law really holds. With conservative forces, the Euler theorem for homogeneous functions gives
Thus a harmonic oscillator has and . An isolated system with Newtonian gravitational potential energy has
Each interacting pair occurs once, and at infinite separation. Here the total energy is conserved. An external field or a mixture of different scaling powers requires its own force term; one cannot assign the whole potential energy a single degree . The virial theorem for a homogeneous pair potential states the corresponding general energy relation.