RELATIVISTIC AND NONRELATIVISTIC DESCRIPTION OF FLUIDS WITH ANISOTROPIC HEAT-CONDUCTION

We formulate a set of Lorentz-covariant equations for an imperfect flu id with viscosity, dilatational viscosity, and anisotropic thermal con ductivity that possess the full GENERIC structure of nonequilibrium th ermodynamics. The GENERIC structure, which includes and goes beyond pr ior nonequilibrium generalizations of the second law of thermodynamics , is shown to provide a guideline for modifying previous phenomenologi cal or kinetic-theory based equations of extended relativistic hydrody namics. In the nonrelativistic limit, we discuss the form of the equat ions for viscous and viscoelastic fluids with anisotropic heat conduct ion. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.