We introduce a solvable stochastic model inspired by granular gases for driven dissipative systems. We characterize far from equilibrium steady states of such systems through the non-Boltzmann energy distribution and compare different measures of effective temperatures. As an example we demonstrate that fluctuation-dissipation relations hold, however, with an effective temperature differing from the effective temperature defined from the average energy.

• Received 23 July 2004

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.93.240601