Beyond Boltzmann: The Potential Energy Distribution of Objects in the Atmosphere
Abstract
Estimates of the number and potential energy of molecules, aerosols, cloud droplets, insects, birds, planes and satellites in the atmosphere yield a distribution which is for potential energies below 102 kBT described by the Boltzmann distribution, but for the range from 102 kBT to 1033 kBT by a power law with an exponent of approximately -1. An explanation for this surprising behavior is not found.
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