Zeroth principle of thermodynamics in aging quasistationary states

Abstract

We show that the zeroth principle of thermodynamics applies to aging quasistationary states of long-range interacting $N$-body Hamiltonian systems. We also discuss the measurability of the temperature in these out-of-equilibrium states using a {\it short-range} interacting thermometer. As many connections are already established between such quasistationary states and nonextensive statistical mechanics, our results are the first evidence that such basic concepts apply to systems that the nonextensive formalism aims to describe.