Conductive Heat Flux Driven by a Pressure Gradient in Non-Maxwellian Reference States

Abstract

Standard Navier--Stokes--Fourier theory and Maxwellian-based Grad 13-moment closures yield no independent pressure-gradient driving of the conductive heat flux in an isothermal, single-component gas in the hydrodynamic (small-Knudsen) regime. This absence is specific to the Maxwellian local-equilibrium weight. We show that when the closure is constructed about a generalized class of isotropic non-Maxwellian reference weights with finite fourth moment -- characterized by a single shape parameter (a kurtosis-like moment ratio) that deforms the distribution continuously away from a Maxwellian -- the small-Knudsen constitutive reduction retains a bulk pressure-gradient (barothermal) contribution to the conductive heat flux. This mechanism predicts pressure-driven conduction as a direct kinetic signature of non-Maxwellian equilibrium moment structure.