title: Nonthermal and suprathermal distributions as a consequence of superstatistics.
abstract: We propose to put the well-known nonthermal and suprathermal empirical distributions, used in plasma physics, onto a more rigorous foundation. Their use is frequently criticized because of a lack of formal derivation and physical explanation. A connection between these non-Maxwellian distributions and the Beck-Cohen superstatistics is suggested. They are perceived as a consequence of typical temperature fluctuations. We show that the suprathermal distribution is generated by the Γ distribution of the inverse temperature, in the same way as the Tsallis q statistics. The nonthermal distribution also follows from the χ(2) distribution, with a small variance. Our contribution provides a possible physical meaning for these ad hoc distributions.
authors: Plasma Physics Group, Theoretical Physics Laboratory, Faculty of Physics, University of Bab-Ezzouar,USTHB, B. P. 32, El Alia, Algiers 16111, Algeria.
authors: Kamel
authors: K
authors: Ourabah
authors: Plasma Physics Group, Theoretical Physics Laboratory, Faculty of Physics, University of Bab-Ezzouar,USTHB, B. P. 32, El Alia, Algiers 16111, Algeria.
authors: Leila
authors: L
authors: Ait Gougam
authors: Plasma Physics Group, Theoretical Physics Laboratory, Faculty of Physics, University of Bab-Ezzouar,USTHB, B. P. 32, El Alia, Algiers 16111, Algeria.
authors: Mouloud
authors: M
authors: Tribeche