Fast kinetic simulator for relativistic matter

Relativistic kinetic theory is ubiquitous to several fields of modern physics, finding application at large scales in systems in astrophysical contexts, all of the way down to subnuclear scales and into the realm of quark–gluon plasmas. This motivates the quest for powerful and efficient computational methods that are able to accurately study fluid dynamics in the relativistic regime as well as the transition to beyond hydrodynamics—in principle all of the way down to ballistic regimes. We present a family of relativistic lattice kinetic schemes for the efficient simulation of relativistic flows in both strongly (fluid) and weakly (rarefied gas) interacting regimes. The method can deal with both massless and massive particles, thereby encompassing ultra- and mildly relativistic regimes alike. The computational performance of the method for the simulation of relativistic flows across the aforementioned regimes is discussed in detail, along with prospects of future applications.