English

How to derive a predictive active field theory: a step-by-step tutorial

Soft Condensed Matter 2022-12-02 v1 Materials Science Statistical Mechanics Chemical Physics

Abstract

The study of active soft matter has developed into one of the most rapidly growing areas of physics. Field theories, which can be developed either via phenomenological considerations or by coarse-graining of a microscopic model, are a very useful tool for understanding active systems. Here, we provide a detailed review of a particular coarse-graining procedure, the interaction-expansion method (IEM). The IEM allows for the systematic microscopic derivation of predictive field theories for systems of interacting active particles. We explain in detail how it can be used for a microscopic derivation of active model B+, which is a widely used scalar active matter model. Extensions and possible future applications are also discussed.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2212.00078,
  title  = {How to derive a predictive active field theory: a step-by-step tutorial},
  author = {Michael te Vrugt and Jens Bickmann and Raphael Wittkowski},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2212.00078},
  year   = {2022}
}

Comments

21 pages, 3 figures

R2 v1 2026-06-28T07:18:42.578Z