Quantum equation simulates fluid flow with Schrödinger insights

Luca Cappelli of Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia and colleagues have developed a new equation combining the Schrödinger equation with the Navier-Stokes equations, published August 12, 2026 in Quantum Science and Technology. This Schrödinger-Navier-Stokes equation aims to simulate fluid flow using principles from quantum mechanics, potentially enabling simulations of classical fluids on quantum computers. The work revisits a 1985 formulation, assessing its viability for quantum implementation through Carleman linearization. Researchers detail their findings in DOI 10.1088/2058-9565/ae9339. A formulation of fluid dynamics from 1985, largely unnoticed until now, forms the basis for a new quantum simulation approach detailed in recent research. The team’s work addresses a longstanding challenge: accurately simulating classical fluids, with their inherent nonlinearities and dissipation, using the principles of quantum mechanics. The core of this…