ON THE THERMAL REDSHIFT

Discussed is the classical theoretical description of the experimental ly established thermal redshift of spectral lines. Straightforward cal culation of the observable spectrum from a canonical ensemble of monoc hromatic radiators yields an overall blueshift rather than a redshift. It is concluded that the customary explanation of the thermal redshif t as a second-order Doppler effect does not bear closer examination, a nd that in fact, the phenomenon ''thermal redshift'' is not yet fully understood in classical terms. (C) 1998 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.