On the $L^2$ Rate of Convergence in the Limit from the Hartree to the Vlasov$\unicode{x2013}$Poisson Equation

TL;DR

This paper establishes an improved $L^2$ convergence rate of the Wigner transform from the Hartree to the Vlasov–Poisson equation using a novel stability estimate, advancing previous results and introducing a new analytical method.

Contribution

It introduces a new stability estimate for solutions of the Vlasov–Poisson equation and applies it to improve the convergence rate from Hartree to Vlasov–Poisson in $L^2$ norm.

Findings

Convergence rate proportional to $$ in $$ norm.

Improved the previous $^{3/4-}$ rate.

Developed a new method similar to mean-field limit proofs.

Abstract

Using a new stability estimate for the difference of the square roots of two solutions of the Vlasov$\unicode{x2013}$Poisson equation, we obtain the convergence in the $L^2$ norm of the Wigner transform of a solution of the Hartree equation with Coulomb potential to a solution of the Vlasov$\unicode{x2013}$Poisson equation, with a rate of convergence proportional to $\hbar$. This improves the $\hbar^{3/4-\varepsilon}$ rate of convergence in $L^2$ obtained in [L.~Lafleche, C.~Saffirio: Analysis & PDE, to appear]. Another reason of interest of this paper is the new method, reminiscent of the ones used to prove the mean-field limit from the many-body Schr\"odinger equation towards the Hartree$\unicode{x2013}$Fock equation for mixed states.