A covariant kinetic equation for a self-gravitating system (Q1080759)

Recently, Israel and Kandrup have developed a new, manifestly covariant approach to non-equilibrium statistical mechanics in classical general relativity. One by-product of that approach has been the formulation of an approximate kinetic equation for the evolution of a self-gravitating system, valid in an ''impulse'' or weak coupling approximation in the limit that radiative effects may be neglected. This paper exploits the theory of random functions to present a much simpler derivation of that approximate kinetic equation.