A new equation for describing heat conduction by phonons

Abstract

A new equation, rooted in the theory of Brownian motion, is proposed for describing heat conduction by phonons. Though a finite speed of propagation is a built-in feature of the equation, it does not give rise to an inauthentic wave front that results from the application of the hyperbolic heat equation (of Cattaneo). Even a simplified, analytically tractable version of the equation yields results close to those found by solving, through more elaborate means, the equation of phonon radiative transfer. An explanation is given as to why both Brownian motion and its inverse (radiative transfer) provide equally serviceable paradigms for phonon-mediated heat conduction.