This paper offers a short review" of some recent advances as well as 15,21,22 new results5-9, in the application of equilibrium statistical mechan-ics to complex geophysical and astrophysical flows,1,13 including but notrestricted to the super-rotation of the Venusian middle atmosphere.3 Animportant overall aim of our results is the extension of statistical equi-librium theories to macroscopic flows that lack some of the basic proper-ties previously assumed to be necessary such as a conserved Hamiltonianand selected invariants - global angular momentum and enstrophy. Specificproblems to which we address this review include global scale flows coupledto a rotating solid sphere by complex torque mechanisms.
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