Conformal and contact kinetic dynamics and their geometrization

Abstract

We propose a conformal generalization of the reversible Vlasov equation of kinetic plasma dynamics, called conformal kinetic theory. In order to arrive at this formalism, we start with the conformal Hamiltonian dynamics of particles and lift it to the dynamical formulation of the associated kinetic theory. The resulting theory represents a simple example of a geometric pathway from dissipative particle motion to dissipative kinetic motion. We also derive the kinetic equations of a continuum of particles governed by the contact Hamiltonian dynamics, which may be interpreted in the context of relativistic mechanics. Once again we start with the contact Hamiltonian dynamics and lift it to a kinetic theory, called contact kinetic dynamics. Finally, we project the contact kinetic theory to conformal kinetic theory so that they form a geometric hierarchy.