Lattice Boltzmann method for bosons and fermions and the fourth order Hermite polynomial expansion

Abstract: The Boltzmann equation with the Bhatnagar-Gross-Krook collision operator is considered for the Bose-Einstein and Fermi-Dirac equilibrium distribution functions. We show that the expansion of the microscopic velocity in terms of Hermite polynomials must be carried until the fourth order to correctly describe the energy equation. The viscosity and thermal coefficients, previously obtained by J.Y. Yang et al through the Uehling-Uhlenbeck approach, are also derived here. Thus the construction of a lattice Boltzmann method for the quantum fluid is possible provided that the Bose-Einstein and Fermi-Dirac equilibrium distribution functions are expanded until fourth order in the Hermite polynomials.