Relativistic Euler equations

For most fluids observable on Earth, traditional fluid mechanics based on Newtonian mechanics is sufficient. However, as the fluid velocity approaches the speed of light or moves through strong gravitational fields, or the pressure approaches the energy density (${\displaystyle P\sim \rho }$), these equations are no longer valid.[2] Such situations occur frequently in astrophysical applications. For example, gamma-ray bursts often feature speeds only ${\displaystyle 0.01\%}$ less than the speed of light,[3] and neutron stars feature gravitational fields that are more than ${\displaystyle 10^{11}}$ times stronger than the Earth's.[4] Under these extreme circumstances, only a relativistic treatment of fluids will suffice.

The equations of motion are contained in the continuity equation of the stress–energy tensor ${\displaystyle T^{\mu \nu }}$:

${\displaystyle \nabla _{\mu }T^{\mu \nu }=0,}$

where ${\displaystyle \nabla _{\mu }}$ is the covariant derivative.[5] For a perfect fluid,

${\displaystyle T^{\mu \nu }\,=(\rho +p)u^{\mu }u^{\nu }+pg^{\mu \nu }.}$

Here ${\displaystyle \rho }$ is the total mass-energy density (including both rest mass and internal energy density) of the fluid, ${\displaystyle p}$ is the fluid pressure, ${\displaystyle u^{\mu }}$ is the four-velocity of the fluid, and ${\displaystyle g^{\mu \nu }}$ is the metric tensor.[2] To the above equations, a statement of conservation is usually added, usually conservation of baryon number. If ${\displaystyle n}$ is the number density of baryons this may be stated

${\displaystyle \nabla _{\mu }(nu^{\mu })=0.}$

These equations reduce to the classical Euler equations if the fluid three-velocity is much less than the speed of light, the pressure is much less than the energy density, and the latter is dominated by the rest mass density.To close this system, an equation of state, such as an ideal gas or a Fermi gas, is also added.[1]

• Relativistic heat conduction
• Equation of state (cosmology)