Is a Maxwell Velocity Distribution Possible in a Newtonian Gravitational Field?

[Gavroy]

hi,

I asked myself, whether it would be possible, to derive something like a maxwell velocity distribution for particles that are placed in a Newtonian gravitational field?

Does anybody know whether this is generally possible?

 

[Rap]

Yes - Express the Maxwell distribution as a distribution of energies, and then substitute E=mv^2/2+mgz and express it as a function of velocity and height z above the ground. Same idea if you want to do it in a 1/r^2 gravitational field, except the energy is more complicated. I've never done it, so you might run into some gliches.