Extremely Low Electron-ion Temperature Relaxation Rates in Warm Dense Hydrogen: Interplay between Quantum Electrons and Coupled Ions

Theoretical and computational modeling of nonequilibrium processes in warm dense matter represents a significant challenge. The electron-ion relaxation process in warm dense hydrogen is investigated here by nonequilibrium molecular dynamics using the constrained electron force field (CEFF) method. CEFF evolves wave packets that incorporate dynamic quantum diffraction that obviates the Coulomb catastrophe. Predictions from this model reveal temperature relaxation times as much as three times longer than prior molecular dynamics results based on quantum statistical potentials. Through analyses of energy distributions and mean free paths, this result can be traced to delocalization. Finally, an improved GMS [Gericke, Murillo, and Schlanges, Phys. Rev. E 78, 025401 (2008)] model is proposed, in which the Coulomb logarithms are in good agreement with CEFF results.