Effective statistical physics of Anosov systems

We present evidence indicating that Anosov systems can be endowed with a unique physically reasonable effective temperature. Results for the two paradigmatic Anosov systems (i.e., the cat map and the geodesic flow on a surface of constant negative curvature) are used to justify a proposal for extending Ruelle's thermodynamical formalism into a comprehensive theory of statistical physics for nonequilibrium steady states satisfying the Gallavotti-Cohen chaotic hypothesis.