The fluctuating gravitational field in inhomogeneous and clustered self-gravitating systems

Abstract

In this paper I extend the results of Ahmad & Cohen (1973), regarding the study of the probability distribution of the stochastic force in homogeneous gravitational systems, to inhomogeneous gravitational ones. To this aim, I study the stochastic force distribution using N-body realizations of Plummer's spherically symmetric models. I find that the stochastic force distribution obtained for the evolved system is in good agreement with Kandrup's (1980) theory of stochastic force in inhomogeneous systems. Correlation effects that arise during the evolution of the system of particles are well described by Antonuccio-Delogu & Atrio-Barandela's (1992) theory.