Scale-dependent velocity fluctuations generated by molecular collisions
Abstract
Abstract A discrete binomial random-walk description of molecular collisions is used to quantify the variance of coarse-grained velocity fields arising solely from collision-induced momentum exchange. Closed-form expressions for the growth of velocity variance as functions of coarse-graining scale and time are derived and shown to imply a power-law decay of variance with averaging scale. Particle-based ensemble simulations validate the predicted scaling and temporal behaviour; surrogate ensemble tests demonstrate that phase/temporal coherence is required for the observed integrated transfer diagnostics. The analysis is intentionally restricted to collision-generated fluctuations in quiescent fluids and does not model cascade dynamics; implications for possible amplification under inertial dynamics are discussed cautiously. All data and the minimal verification instructions required to reproduce the summary tables are embedded in Appendix.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Gas Dynamics and Kinetic Theory
Lattice Boltzmann Simulation Studies
Micro and Nano Robotics
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Transport Phenomena
- Publisher
- Walter de Gruyter GmbH
- Volume
- 1
- Issue
- 1
- Publication date
- 6 February 2026
- Language
- EN