We derive a one-parametric family of entropy functions that respect the additivity condition, and which describe effects of finiteness of statistical systems, in particular, distribution functions with long tails. This one-parametric family is different from the Tsallis entropies, and is a convex combination of the Boltzmann-Gibbs-Shannon entropy and the entropy function proposed by Burg. An example of how longer tails are described within the present approach is worked out for the canonical ensemble. We also discuss a possible origin of a hidden statistical dependence, and give explicit recipes on how to construct corresponding generalizations of the master equation.

• Received 27 March 2002

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.67.016104