On dissipative features of the Vlasov equation. II. Analysis of a dissipative pattern

A detailed analysis of the dissipative pattern exhibited by test particle simulations of the nuclear Vlasov equation with a self-consistent mean field is presented. This study completes a more formal approach of these effects presented in a recent work, where it was shown that an initial Fermi-like distribution relaxes towards a Boltzmann distribution at a time scale typical of the one involved in the problem. In this paper the authors investigate the dependence of this effect, both on the numerical parameters of the simulation and on the physical parameters. A comparison with a full VUU calculation is considered. The dissipative pattern of the simulations are analyzed in terms of the statistical entropy S associated to the energy occupation and in terms of the power spectra as well as autocorrelation function of selected global observables. 18 refs., 15 figs