Perturbation treatment of non-linear transport via the Robertson statistical formalism

A perturbation solution is found for the differential equation defining an operator Tˆ used by Robertson to relate the information-theoretic phase-space distribution σ to the solution ρ of the classical Liouville equation. This relation provides a closure, used in obtaining an exact equation for σ. Multiplying the latter equation by F, a phase-space function odd under momentum reversal, of which heat and diffusion fluxes are among the examples, one gets an exact equation for ∂〈F〉/∂t. 〈F〉 is the phase space integral of ρF. The dissipative terms in ∂〈F〉/∂t can be expanded, like Tˆ, in successive orders O(〈F〉ⁿ). For a model in which equilibrium ensemble fluctuations relax exponentially, terms linear and O(〈F〉³) are calculated. The non-linear terms exhibit an explicit time-dependence for short times. In a steady state induced by external driving forces, the explicit time-dependence disappears, in agreement with existing phenomenology. For simplicity, spatial uniformity is assumed. A generalization is required for large temperature or velocity gradients.