Hessian matrix of potential energy in electrostatic system

In summary, the speaker is a new user on a physics forum seeking guidance for a project involving an independent electrostatic system. They describe the problem and their understanding of it, including the need to calculate the Hessian matrix (2nd-order partial differentiation) of the system's total potential energy. They mention the diagonal and off-diagonal elements of this matrix and ask for corrections or confirmation on their understanding. The speaker also asks for information on the properties of H(N) and if there is a fast way to approximate it with a larger number of charges.
  • #1
francesco_ljw
2
0
Hi everyone:

I am rookie in classical physics and first-time PF user so please forgive me if I am making mistakes here. My current project needs some guidance from physics and I am describing the problem, my understanding and question as below.

I have an independent electrostatic system with positive and negative charges distributed on a 2D plane. The plane is discretized into small sub-rectangles to calculate the charge density and get the field and potential distribution using Poisson equation, so is the total potential energy N. Location of each charge c (suppose to be x(c)) determines N. Now I need to calculate the Hessian matrix (2nd-order partial differentiation) of N, H(N), with respect to each x(c). To me, as ∂^2 N /∂ x(c)^2 = -q(c)D(c), we get the diagonal elements of H(N), where q(c) is the quantity of charge and D(c) is the local density; the off-diagonal elements need to be calculated using Coulomb's law.

Please correct me if there is any mistake in the above, e.g., miscalculation of H(N), as well as others. If all is correct, my question is (1) what kind of properties would H(N) have (I assume it would be symmetric, but would it be positive definite also)? (2) if we scale up the system with more charges, is there a fast way to approximate H(N)?

Thanks a lot in advance.
 
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  • #2
Anybody has ideas?
 

What is a Hessian matrix of potential energy in an electrostatic system?

A Hessian matrix of potential energy is a mathematical tool used in physics and engineering to analyze the stability of a system. In an electrostatic system, it represents the second derivative of the potential energy with respect to the coordinates of the system, and provides information about the curvature and shape of the potential energy surface.

How is the Hessian matrix calculated in an electrostatic system?

The Hessian matrix is calculated by taking the second partial derivatives of the potential energy function with respect to each coordinate of the system. The resulting matrix will have dimensions nxn, where n is the number of coordinates in the system.

What does the Hessian matrix tell us about an electrostatic system?

The Hessian matrix can tell us about the stability and equilibrium points of an electrostatic system. If all of the eigenvalues of the matrix are positive, the system is in a stable equilibrium. If some of the eigenvalues are negative, the system is in an unstable equilibrium.

How is the Hessian matrix used in practical applications?

The Hessian matrix is used in various fields, including physics, chemistry, and engineering, to analyze the behavior and stability of systems. It can help in determining the optimal conditions for a system, identifying critical points, and predicting the behavior of the system under different conditions.

What are the limitations of using the Hessian matrix in an electrostatic system?

The Hessian matrix assumes that the potential energy function is continuous and differentiable, which may not always be the case in real-world systems. Additionally, it only provides information about the second derivative of the potential energy function, so it may not capture all aspects of the system's behavior.

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