Kinetic equations for systems with long-range interactions: a unified description

TL;DR

This paper develops a unified kinetic theory framework for systems with long-range interactions, deriving equations applicable to inhomogeneous and homogeneous systems, and clarifies their physical interpretation and applications.

Contribution

It provides a general kinetic equation for long-range systems derived from fundamental hierarchies, unifies descriptions for stellar systems and vortices, and improves previous derivations with a new angle-action formalism.

Findings

Unified kinetic equation applicable to inhomogeneous systems

Simplification to Landau equations for homogeneous cases

Shorter relaxation times in inhomogeneous systems

Abstract

We complete the existing literature on the kinetic theory of systems with long-range interactions. Starting from the BBGKY hierarchy, or using projection operator technics or a quasilinear theory, a general kinetic equation can be derived when collective effects are neglected. This equation (which is not well-known) applies to possibly spatially inhomogeneous systems, which is specific to systems with long-range interactions. Interestingly, the structure of this kinetic equation bears a clear physical meaning in terms of generalized Kubo relations. Furthermore, this equation takes a very similar form for stellar systems and two-dimensional point vortices providing therefore a unified description of the kinetic theory of these systems. If we assume that the system is spatially homogeneous (or axisymmetric for point vortices), this equation can be simplified and reduces to the Landau equation (or its counterpart for point vortices). Our formalism thus offers a simple derivation of Landau-type equations. We also use this general formalism to derive a kinetic equation, written in angle-action variables, describing spatially inhomogeneous systems with long-range interactions. This new derivation solves the shortcomings of our previous derivation [P.H. Chavanis, Physica A 377, 469 (2007)]. Finally, we consider a test particle approach and derive general expressions for the diffusion and friction (or drift) coefficients of a test particle evolving in a bath of field particles. We make contact with the expressions previously obtained in the literature. As an application of the kinetic theory, we argue that the relaxation time is shorter for inhomogeneous (or high-dimensional) systems than for homogeneous (or low-dimensional) systems because there are potentially more resonances.