A lattice Boltzmann formulation for relativistic fluids is presented and numerically validated through quantitative comparison with recent hydrodynamic simulations of relativistic fluids. In order to illustrate its capability to handle complex geometries, the scheme is also applied to the case of a three-dimensional relativistic shock wave, generated by a supernova explosion, impacting on a massive interstellar cloud. This formulation opens up the possibility of exporting the proven advantages of lattice Boltzmann methods, namely, computational efficiency and easy handling of complex geometries, to the context of (mildly) relativistic fluid dynamics at large, from quark-gluon plasmas up to supernovae with relativistic outflows.

We provide numerical evidence that electronic preturbulent phenomena in graphene could be observed, under current experimental conditions, through current fluctuations, echoing the detachment of vortices past localized micron-sized impurities. Vortex generation, due to micron-sized constriction, is also explored with special focus on the effects of relativistic corrections to the normal Navier-Stokes equations. These corrections are found to cause a delay in the stability breakout of the fluid as well as a small shift in the vortex shedding frequency.

Starting from the Maxwell-Jüttner equilibrium distribution, we develop a relativistic lattice Boltzmann (LB) algorithm capable of handling ultrarelativistic systems with flat, but expanding, spacetimes. The algorithm is validated through simulations of a quark-gluon plasma, yielding excellent agreement with hydrodynamic simulations. The present scheme opens the possibility of transferring the recognized computational advantages of lattice kinetic theory to the context of both weakly and ultrarelativistic systems.

Based on the recently developed picture of an electronic ideal relativistic fluid at the Dirac point, we present an analytical model for the conductivity in graphene that is able to describe the linear dependence on the carrier density and the existence of a minimum conductivity. The model treats impurities as submerged rigid obstacles, forming a disordered medium through which graphene electrons flow, in close analogy with classical fluid dynamics. To describe the minimum conductivity, we take into account the additional carrier density induced by the impurities in the sample. The model, which predicts the conductivity as a function of the impurity fraction of the sample, is supported by extensive simulations for different values of ε, the dimensionless strength of the electric field, and provides excellent agreement with experimental data.

In this paper we introduce a three-dimensional Lattice-Boltzmann model that recovers in the continuous limit the Maxwell equations in materials. In order to build conservation equations with antisymmetric tensors, like the Faraday law, the model assigns four auxiliary vectors to each velocity vector. These auxiliary vectors, when combined with the distribution functions, give the electromagnetic fields. The evolution is driven by the usual Bhatnager-Gross-Krook (BGK) collision rule, but with a different form for the equilibrium distribution functions. This lattice Bhatnager-Gross-Krook (LBGK) model allows us to consider for both dielectrics and conductors with realistic parameters, and therefore it is adequate to simulate the most diverse electromagnetic problems, like the propagation of electromagnetic waves (both in dielectric media and in waveguides), the skin effect, the radiation pattern of a small dipole antenna and the natural frequencies of a resonant cavity, all with 2% accuracy. Actually, it shows to be one order of magnitude faster than the original Finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) formulation by Yee to reach the same accuracy. It is, therefore, a valuable alternative to simulate electromagnetic fields and opens lattice Boltzmann for a broad spectrum of new applications in electrodynamics.