From frozen Coulomb decoherence to thermalization: Classical and quantum density-matrix routes to Balescu

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From frozen Coulomb decoherence to thermalization: Classical and quantum density-matrix routes to Balescu–Lenard and Landau kinetics

Annals of Physics. 2026. Vol. 495. No. 3. Article 170796.

We study the density-matrix kinetics of a charged test particle in two types of Coulomb environment. For a prescribed Gaussian potential, averaging the random-unitary dynamics leads to a Born–Novikov memory equation; Novikov’s identity is exact, but its closure requires a second-order approximation. An equilibrium quantum bath instead yields a Born–Redfield equation with ordered correlators and KMS spectral asymmetry. The resulting transition rates determine momentum-population kinetics, while a local Wigner–Boltzmann equation follows at leading spatial-gradient order. In the small-transfer limit, recoil and KMS asymmetry generate friction and diffusion from the same spectrum, consistently with the Einstein relation. For a Vlasov/RPA Coulomb bath, we recover the test-particle Balescu–Lenard diffusion tensor and its leading-logarithmic Landau limit. Static disorder has a different weak-scattering kinetic limit and produces elastic redistribution without thermalization. We also show that the population rates admit completely positive, but nonunique, extensions to quantum coherences. The connection between the two branches therefore lies in their Coulomb momentum-transfer kernels, not in an identical microscopic master equation.

Research target: Physics

Publication based on the results of:

Supercomputer modelling and AI methods in topical problems of physics and complex systems (2025)

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Nikitiuk B., Lenev D., Pisarev V. et al., Journal of Colloid and Interface Science 2026 Vol. 718 Article 140444

Hypothesis:Accurate determination of interfacial tension values is crucial for many modeling applications in the oil and gas industry. However, many of the presently used empirical and theoretical models show poor prediction accuracy and do not allow for direct consideration of the concentrations of gases and salts dissolved in the system as well as the specific ...

Added: October 28, 2026

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Deshchenya V., Nikolay D. Kondratyuk, Sivakova A. et al., Chemical Engineering Sciences 2027 Vol. 337 Article 124616

Accurate prediction of complex formulation viscosity is crucial for the lubricant industry and engineering processes. However, developing generalizable models remains challenging due to the complexity of industrial mixtures and the scarcity of public experimental data, often resulting from corporate proprietary restrictions. This study presents a machine-learning workflow for viscosity estimation from a proprietary pseudonymized dataset, ...

Added: October 28, 2026

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Zubov A., Zubov A., Малявко, Я. et al., Computer Physics Communications 2025 Vol. 317 Article 109860

The concept of representative volume (REV, or RVE in material sciences) is the cornerstone of continuum scale models – one needs to get the volume big enough so that it could be represented with an averaged value (scalar, vector or tensorial, etc.). While REV should be established in all larger scale simulations, this is rarely ...

Added: October 28, 2026

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Alexander S. Rabinowitch, International Journal of Modern Physics A 2026 Vol. 41 No. 30 Article 2650168

In this paper, we study a new class of wave solutions to the SU(2) Yang-Mills equations in the region outside field sources. They represent a significant addition to the wave solutions obtained in our previous publications describing non-Abelian transverse progressive waves propagating in the direction of the Cartesian z-axis. In the new paper, wave solutions to the considered system ...

Added: October 26, 2026

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D.V. Khomitsky, Lavrukhina E. A., Krasavin D. P. et al., Physical Review B: Condensed Matter and Materials Physics 2026 Vol. 114 No. 22 Article 225414

We study coherent electric manipulation of magnetic field induced localized states at a double kink of a helical edge in a HgTe/CdHgTe quantum well. An in-plane magnetic field opens a gap in the one-dimensional (1D) edge spectrum, while changes in the edge orientation generate localized in-gap states at the kinks. We show that, for suitable ...

Added: October 23, 2026

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Budkov Y., Kalikin N., Journal of Chemical Physics 2026 Vol. 165 No. 16 Article 164108

We derive the local pressure tensor generated by the original Rosenfeld fundamental measure theory (FMT) for hard-sphere fluids from an arbitrary infinitesimal deformation. The variation of a finite-distance FMT kernel is written via the line integrals of the local deformation gradient along the straight segment connecting its end points. The resulting symmetric pressure tensor consists ...

Added: October 22, 2026

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Ивченко В. С., Иевлева В. А., Matienko D. et al., Журнал технической физики 2026 № 9 С. 1738–1749

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Added: October 20, 2026

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Logvenkov S. A., Известия РАН. Механика жидкости и газа 2026 № 3 С. 59–75

The problem of the evolution of cell volume fraction in a spherical aggregate composed of cells, extracellular matrix, and fluid is considered. The aggregate is surrounded by extracellular matrix. The problem formulation employs a multiphase model of a biological continuum, previously developed by the author, consisting of two actively interacting solid phases and a fluid. The propagation of ...

Added: October 20, 2026

Electrically driven Rabi dynamics of magnetic field induced corner states in a two-dimensional topological insulator

Lavrukhina E. A., Krasavin D. P., Krishtopenko S. S. et al., Physical Review B: Condensed Matter and Materials Physics 2026 Vol. 114 No. 22 Article 225414

Added: October 19, 2026

Phase Transitions in the Ni2.14Mn0.81Fe0.05Ga Heusler Alloy under the Influence of a Magnetic Fild and Hydrostatic Pressure

Смерчанский П. С., Koledov V. V., Kamantsev A. P. et al., Physics of Metals and Metallography 2026 Vol. 127 No. 6-7 P. 689–693

Heusler alloys of the Ni2MnX family, where X = Ga, In, Sn, …, which have been shown to exhibit giant magnetocaloric effect (MCE) and magnetically controlled shape memory effect due to thermoelastic magnetostructural phase transition (MSPT), continue to attract attention. However, these functional properties are fully manifested in strong magnetic fields of at least several T. Currently, ...

Added: October 19, 2026

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Тукачев Н. В., Bataev V., Abramenkov A. et al., Computational and Theoretical Chemistry 2016 No. 1080 P. 23–32

Electronic state calculations, such as equilibrium geometry parameters, harmonic vibrational frequencies and potential barriers to conformational transitions (as well as conformer energy differences in excited states), using ab initio methods, such as MP2, CCSD(T), CASSCF, CASPT2 and MRCI, were carried out on the formamide molecule in the ground (S0) and the lowest excited singlet (S1) ...

Added: October 14, 2026

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Тукачев Н. В., Bataev V. А., Godunov I. А., Journal of Quantitative Spectroscopy and Radiative Transfer 2016 Vol. 177 P. 291–300

For conformers of the N-methylformamide (HCONHCH3) molecule, calculations of equilibrium geometry parameters, harmonic vibration frequencies, energy differences and potential barriers to conformational transitions were performed in the ground (S0) and lowest excited singlet (S1) and triplet (T1) electronic states. In the S0 state, the molecule exists in trans and cis stable conformations (having Cs symmetry). ...

Added: October 14, 2026

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Тукачев Н. В., Bataev V. А., Godunov I. А., Journal of Quantitative Spectroscopy and Radiative Transfer 2017 Vol. 192 P. 30–41

For acetamide molecule (CH3CONH2) in the ground (S0) and lowest excited singlet (S1) and triplet (T1) electronic states calculations of equilibrium geometry parameters, harmonic vibrational frequencies and barriers to conformational transitions (also conformer energy differences in excited states) using following ab initio methods: MP2, CCSD(T), CASSCF, CASPT2 and MRCI were performed. One-, two- and three-dimensional ...

Added: October 14, 2026

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Тукачев Н. В., Bataev V. A., Godunov I. A., Computational and Theoretical Chemistry 2017 Vol. 1113 P. 82–93

Equilibrium geometry parameters, harmonic vibrational frequencies and barriers to conformational transitions and conformer energy differences for N-methylacetamide (CH3CONHCH3) molecule in S0, S1 and T1 electronic states were calculated in MP2 (S0) and CASPT2 (S1, T1) levels of theory. It is known that there are two planar (or effectively planar) conformers of N-methylacetamide in the ground ...

Added: October 14, 2026

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Тукачев Н. В., Maslennikov D., Sosorev A. et al., The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters 2019 Vol. 10 No. 12 P. 3232–3239

Conformational space of polyphenylenevinylene oligomers is systematically investigated computationally at energies relevant for room temperature dynamics in a solvent and in a solid state. Our calculations show that optimal oligomer structures are essentially planar. However, lack of a deep minimum at the planar geometry allows for large molecular deformations even at very low temperatures. At ...

Added: October 14, 2026

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Added: October 14, 2026

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Electron–phonon interaction strongly affects and often limits charge transport in organic semiconductors (OSs). However, approaches to its experimental probing are still in their infancy. In this study, we probe the local electron–phonon interaction (quantified by the charge-transfer reorganization energy) in small-molecule OSs by means of Raman spectroscopy. Applying density functional theory calculations to four series ...

Added: October 14, 2026

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A series of ten conjugated polymers incorporating in their molecular frameworks extended DADAD building blocks with thiophene donor (D) and either benzotriazole, benzoxadiazole, benzothiadiazole, difluorobenzothiadiazole or quinoxaline acceptor (A) units were synthesized and characterized. The optoelectronic properties of new polymers were computed and experimentally investigated revealing a good relationship, which can guide further rational design ...

Added: October 14, 2026

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Тукачев Н. В., Sosorev A., Parashchuk O. et al., Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics 2021 Vol. 23 No. 29 P. 15485–15491

Dynamic disorder manifested in fluctuations of charge transfer integrals considerably hinders charge transport in high-mobility organic semiconductors. Accordingly, strategies for suppression of the dynamic disorder are highly desirable. In this study, we suggest a novel promising strategy for suppression of dynamic disorder—tuning the molecular electrostatic potential. Specifically, we show that the intensities of the low-frequency ...

Added: October 14, 2026

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Тукачев Н. В., González-Jiménez M., Ramakrishnan G. et al., Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics 2021 Vol. 23 No. 23 P. 13250–13260

Low-frequency vibrations play an essential role in biomolecular processes involving DNA such as gene expression, charge transfer, drug intercalation, and DNA–protein recognition. However, understanding the vibrational basis of these mechanisms relies on theoretical models due to the lack of experimental evidence. Here we present the low-frequency vibrational spectra of G-quadruplexes (structures formed by four strands ...

Added: October 14, 2026

Kinetics of charged species in non-equilibrium plasma in water vapor- and hydrocarbon-containing gaseous mixtures

N L Aleksandrov, Bazelyan E. M., A A Ponomarev et al., Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics 2022 Vol. 55 No. 38 Article 383002

In this review we describe the kinetics of non-equilibrium discharge plasma when the ion composition is dominated by water or hydrocarbon ions. Plasmas with water ions are formed in atmospheric discharges and discharges in the presence of liquid water or water vapor, including plasma applications for air purification, medicine and combustion. Reactions with hydrocarbon ions play an important role ...

Added: July 18, 2022

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Added: February 20, 2020

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Zaikin A., Golubev D. S., Singapore: Jenny Stanford Publishing (ex. Pan Stanford Publishing), 2019.

Continuing miniaturization of electronic devices, together with the quickly growing number of nanotechnological applications, demands a profound understanding of the underlying physics. Most of the fundamental problems of modern condensed matter physics involve various aspects of quantum transport and fluctuation phenomena at the nanoscale. In nanostructures, electrons are usually confined to a limited volume and ...

Added: September 12, 2019

The kinetics of energetic O− ions in discharge H2O plasma

Александров Н. Л., Journal of Physics: Conference Series 2017 Vol. 927

Using Monte Carlo simulation, the translational relaxation of energetic O− ions produced by dissociative electron attachment to molecules was studied in water vapor plasmas in a strong electric field. Initial O− ions are energetic and are more reactive than the ions being in equilibrium with the electric field. Because of this, the energetic O− ions have a chance ...

Added: October 23, 2018