Thermodynamics and orientational order in systems of extended gravitating objects. II. Tidal distortions and the interaction pseudopotential

Calculations are made of the tidal distortions and the interaction pseudopotential that describe the orientational states of systems of extended gravitating objects according to the thermodynamic formalism given by Bhattacharjee, Ghosh, and Cowsik. The results of the calculation of the multipole moments induced by tidal distortions are analytic, expressible in terms of a response function, and useful in studying galaxy encounters. The pseudopotential is evaluated for a system of identical objects whose undistorted shape is axisymmetric. 59 refs