Links between microscopic and macroscopic fluid mechanics

The microscopic and macroscopic versions of fluid mechanics differ qualitatively. Microscopic particles obey time-reversible ordinary differential equations. The resulting particle trajectories {q(t)} may be time-averaged or ensemble-averaged so as to generate field quantities corresponding to macroscopic variables. On the other hand, the macroscopic continuum fields described by fluid mechanics follow irreversible partial differential equations. Smooth particle methods bridge the gap separating these two views of fluids by solving the macroscopic field equations with particle dynamics that resemble molecular dynamics. Recently, nonlinear dynamics have provided some useful tools for understanding the relationship between the microscopic and macroscopic points of view. Chaos and fractals play key roles in this new understanding. Non-equilibrium phase-space averages look very different from their equilibrium counterparts. Away from equilibrium the smooth phase-space distributions are replaced by fractional-dimensional singular distributions that exhibit time irreversibility.