Eur. Phys. J. B 72, 629-639 (2009)
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjb/e2009-00416-8

Lifetime distributions in the methods of non-equilibrium statistical operator and superstatistics

Institute for Nuclear Research, pr.Nauki, 47, Kiev, Ukraine

Corresponding author: ^a vryazan@kinr.kiev.ua

Received: 10 March 2009
Revised: 23 October 2009
Published online: 8 December 2009

Abstract

A family of non-equilibrium statistical operators is introduced which differ by the system age distribution over which the quasi-equilibrium (relevant) distribution is averaged. To describe the nonequilibrium states of a system we introduce a new thermodynamic parameter – the lifetime of a system. Superstatistics, introduced in works of Beck and Cohen [Physica A 322, 267 (2003)] as fluctuating quantities of intensive thermodynamical parameters, are obtained from the statistical distribution of lifetime (random time to the system degeneracy) considered as a thermodynamical parameter. It is suggested to set the mixing distribution of the fluctuating parameter in the superstatistics theory in the form of the piecewise continuous functions. The distribution of lifetime in such systems has different form on the different stages of evolution of the system. The account of the past stages of the evolution of a system can have a substantial impact on the non-equilibrium behaviour of the system in a present time moment.