Data-Driven Construction of a Generalized Kinetic Collision Operator from Molecular Dynamics
Phys. Rev. Lett. 135, 185101 – Published 28 October, 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/gml7-f2ng
Abstract
We introduce a data-driven approach to learn generalized collision operators from molecular dynamics. Unlike conventional models (e.g., Landau), the present operator takes a symmetry-breaking form that depends not only on the relative velocity but also on the average velocity of the collision pair, capturing heterogeneous energy transfer arising from collective interactions with the environment. Numerical results show that preserving this overlooked anisotropy is crucial for predicting plasma kinetics and transport coefficients in the moderate coupling regime, where the Landau model fails.