We determine the caloric curves of classical self-gravitating systems at statistical equilibrium in general relativity. In the classical limit, the caloric curves of a self-gravitating gas depend on a unique parameter $\nu =GNm/R{c}^2$, called the compactness parameter, where $N$ is the particle number and $R$ the system's size. Typically, the caloric curves have the form of a double spiral. The “cold spiral,” corresponding to weakly relativistic configurations, is a generalization of the caloric curve of nonrelativistic classical self-gravitating systems. The “hot spiral,” corresponding to strongly relativistic configurations, is similar (but not identical) to the caloric curve of the ultrarelativistic self-gravitating black-body radiation. We introduce two types of normalization of energy and temperature to obtain asymptotic caloric curves describing, respectively, the cold and the hot spirals in the limit $\nu \to 0$. As the number of particles increases, the cold and the hot spirals approach each other, merge at ${\nu }_S^{\prime }=0.128$, form a loop above ${\nu }_S=0.1415$, reduce to a point at ${\nu }_{\max }=0.1764$, and finally disappear. Therefore, the double spiral shrinks when the compactness parameter $\nu$ increases, implying that general relativistic effects render the system more unstable. We discuss the nature of the gravitational collapse at low and high energies with respect to a dynamical (fast) or a thermodynamical (slow) instability. We also provide an historical account of the developments of the statistical mechanics of classical self-gravitating systems in Newtonian gravity and general relativity.

• Received 3 September 2019
• Accepted 17 March 2020

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.101.052105