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2.4 Lecture 8: Boltzmann Equation, H-Theorem

The document discusses the Boltzmann equation and H-theorem. It introduces the Boltzmann equation which describes the time evolution of the distribution function under the influence of an external force. It then derives an expression for the collision term in the Boltzmann equation and presents the famous Boltzmann transport equation. It also introduces Boltzmann's H function and proves that it decreases with time according to the H-theorem, implying the system approaches equilibrium.

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30 views

2.4 Lecture 8: Boltzmann Equation, H-Theorem

The document discusses the Boltzmann equation and H-theorem. It introduces the Boltzmann equation which describes the time evolution of the distribution function under the influence of an external force. It then derives an expression for the collision term in the Boltzmann equation and presents the famous Boltzmann transport equation. It also introduces Boltzmann's H function and proves that it decreases with time according to the H-theorem, implying the system approaches equilibrium.

Uploaded by

yasirsshah261
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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CHAPTER 2.

KINETIC THEORY 36

2.4 Lecture 8: Boltzmann equation, H-theorem


2.4.1 Boltzmann equation
1 2
The collision term ˆf
ˆt
in the transport equation
coll
A B
ˆ p ˆ ˆ ˆf
f (q, p, t) + · f (q, p, t) + F · f (q, p, t) = (2.49)
ˆt m ˆq ˆp ˆt coll

can be expressed as A B
ˆf
= R̄ ≠ R (2.50)
ˆt coll
where
• R dt dq dp is the number of collisions from time t to t + dt of particles
with initial position from q to q + dq and initial momentum from p to
p + dp and

• R̄ dt dq dp is the number of collisions from time t to t + dt of particles


with final position from q to q + dq and final momentum from p to
p + dp.
With only binary collisions taken into account
⁄
R(q, p1 ) = dp2 dpÕ1 dpÕ2 Pp1 ,p2 æpÕ1 ,pÕ2 f (q, p1 ) f (q, p2 ) (2.51)

and

⁄
R̄(q, p1 ) = dp2 dpÕ1 dpÕ2 PpÕ1 ,pÕ 2 æp1 ,p2 f (q, pÕ 1 ) f (q, pÕ 2 ) (2.52)

where Pp1 ,p2 æpÕ1 ,pÕ2 is the probability density to go from initial state p1 , p2 to
final state pÕ1 , pÕ 2 in time dt. It follows from symmetry considerations that
Pp1 ,p2 æpÕ1 ,pÕ2 = PpÕ1 ,pÕ2 æp1 ,p2 . Thus,

A B ⁄
ˆf
= dp2 dpÕ1 dpÕ2 Pp1 ,p2 æpÕ1 ,pÕ2 (f1 (pÕ1 ) f (pÕ2 ) ≠ f (p1 ) f (p2 )) (2.53)
ˆt coll

The rate of particles scattering per unit time into solid angle can be
also expressed using differential crosses
A B
d‡
dpÕ1 dpÕ2 Pp1 ,p2 æpÕ1 ,pÕ2 = |v1 ≠ v2 | d (2.54)
d
CHAPTER 2. KINETIC THEORY 37

then the collision term takes the following form


A B ⁄ A B
ˆf d‡
= dp2 |v1 ≠ v2 | d (f1 (pÕ1 ) f (pÕ2 ) ≠ f (p1 ) f (p2 )) .
ˆt coll
d
(2.55)
We can now plug in the collision term into (2.49) to obtain the famous
Boltzmann transport equation:

p
ˆ
ˆt
f (p1 ) + m
· ˆ
ˆq
f (p1 ) +F· ˆ
ˆp
f (p1 ) = (2.56)
s 1 2
= dp2 |v1 ≠ v2 | d‡
d
d (f1 (pÕ1 ) f (pÕ2 ) ≠ f (p1 ) f (p2 )) . (2.57)

This is only the first equation in a hierarchy of equations known as the


BBGKY hierarchy. To obtain other equations one has to include many par-
ticle distributions between colliding particles.

2.4.2 H-theorem
It follows from Boltzmann’s transport equation that a local equilibrium is
established when
ˆf (p1 ) ⁄
= dp2 dpÕ1 dpÕ2 Pp1 ,p2 æpÕ1 ,pÕ2 (f1 (pÕ1 ) f (pÕ2 ) ≠ f (p1 ) f (p2 )) = 0.
ˆt
(2.58)
Define the Boltzmann’s H function as
⁄
H(t) © dpf (p, t) log f (p, t) (2.59)

then
dH(t) ⁄ ˆ ⁄
ˆf (p, t)
= dp [f (p, t) log f (p, t)] = dp [1 + log f (p, t)] . (2.60)
dt ˆt ˆt
Boltzmann’s H-Theorem: If f (p, t) satisfies the Boltzmann’s
transport equation, then
dH(t)
Æ 0. (2.61)
dt

Proof: By substituting (2.58) in (2.60) we obtain


⁄ ⁄
dH(t) ˆ
= dp [f (p, t) log f (p, t)] = dp1 dp2 dpÕ1 dpÕ2 Pp1 ,p2 æpÕ1 ,pÕ2 ◊
dt ˆt
◊ (f (pÕ 1 ) f (pÕ 2 ) ≠ f (p1 ) f (p2 )) [1 + log f (p1 )] . (2.62)
CHAPTER 2. KINETIC THEORY 38

which is equivalent to
⁄
dH(t)
= dp2 dp1 dpÕ1 dpÕ2 Pp1 ,p2 æpÕ1 ,pÕ2 ◊
dt
◊ (f (pÕ 1 ) f (pÕ 2 ) ≠ f (p1 ) f (p2 )) [1 + log f (p2 )] . (2.63)

Note that (2.62) and (2.63) only differ in the argument of the logarithm.
Thus we can add the two equation to obtain
⁄
dH(t)
2 = dp1 dp2 dpÕ1 dpÕ2 Pp1 ,p2 æpÕ1 ,pÕ2 ◊
dt
◊ (f (pÕ 1 ) f (pÕ 2 ) ≠ f (p1 ) f (p2 )) [2 + log (f (p1 ) f (p2 ))](2.64)
.

Moreover dp1 dp2 dpÕ1 dpPp1 ,p2 æpÕ1 ,pÕ2 is invariant under interchange of p1 , p2
and pÕ1 , pÕ2 because of the time invariance of the equations of motion, i.e.
⁄
dH(t)
2 = dp1 dp2 dpÕ1 dpÕ2 Pp1 ,p2 æpÕ1 ,pÕ2 ◊
dt
◊ (f (p1 ) f (p2 ) ≠ f (pÕ1 ) f (pÕ2 )) [2 + log (f (pÕ1 ) f (pÕ2 ))] .(2.65)

By adding together (2.64) and (2.65) we get

dH(t) 1⁄
=≠ dp1 dp2 dpÕ1 dpÕ2 Pp1 ,p2 æpÕ1 ,pÕ2 ◊
dt 4
◊ (f (p1 ) f (p2 ) ≠ f (pÕ1 ) f (pÕ2 )) [log (f (p1 ) f (p2 )) ≠ log (f (pÕ1 ) f (pÕ2 ))] . (2.66)

Since the log function is monotonically increasing we conclude that

(f (p1 ) f (p2 ) ≠ f (pÕ1 ) f (pÕ2 )) [log (f (p1 ) f (p2 )) ≠ log (f (pÕ1 ) f (pÕ2 ))] Ø 0
(2.67)
as well as
dH(t)
Æ 0. (2.68)
dt

It should also be clear that dH(t)


dt
= 0 if an only if

feq (p1 ) feq (p2 ) = feq (pÕ1 ) feq (pÕ2 ) , (2.69)

which corresponds on an equilibrium distribution feq (p, t) yet to be calcu-


lated. Therefore,
ˆfeq (p, t) dH(t) ⁄ ˆf (p, t)
=0 ∆ = dp [1 + log f (p, t)] = 0 ∆
ˆt t ˆt
∆ feq (p1 ) feq (p2 ) = feq (pÕ1 ) feq (pÕ2 ) (2.70)
CHAPTER 2. KINETIC THEORY 39

In addition it is easy to check that

ˆfeq (p, t) ⁄
feq (p1 , t) feq (p2 , t) = feq (pÕ1 , t) feq (pÕ2 , t) ∆ = dp2 dpÕ1 dpÕ2 ◊
ˆt
◊ Pp1 ,p2 æpÕ1 ,pÕ2 ((f (pÕ 1 ) f (pÕ 2 ) ≠ f (p1 ) f (p2 ))) =
(2.71)
0

This proves that (2.69) and (2.58) are equivalent:

ˆf
= 0 … feq (p1 , t) feq (p2 , t) = feq (pÕ1 , t) feq (pÕ2 , t) . (2.72)
ˆt

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