The second sound in crystals. Thermodynamics and constitutive equations (Q792789)

The authors consider materials for which the heat flux q and the temperature \(\theta\) satisfies the equation \(T(\theta)\dot q+q=- K(\theta)\text{grad} \theta,\) where \(T(\theta)\) and \(K(\theta)\) are non- singular tensors. The restrictions, the second law of thermodynamics imposes upon the constitutive equations of such materials are studied. It is shown that: a) The specific internal energy is of the form \(e=e_ 0(\theta)+q\cdot A(\theta)q,\) where \(e_ 0\) is the equilibrium internal energy and \(A(\theta)=(-\theta^ 2/2)(d/d\theta)(Z(\theta)/\theta^ 2),\) b) \(Z(\theta)=K(\theta)^{-1}T(\theta)\) is a symmetric tensor and \(K(\theta)\) is positive definite, c) a singular surface across which \({\dot \theta}\) has a jump will travel faster if it propagates opposites to, rather than parallel to the heat flux if \(Z(\theta)\) and \(Z(\theta)^{-1}\) \(A(\theta)\) are positive definite and \(\partial e/\partial \theta\) is positive. The paper is of great interest for those working in continuum thermodynamics.