How Reproducible Are Dynamic Heterogeneities in a Supercooled Liquid?

Abstract

The particle dynamics in a liquid exhibits a transient spatial distribution of dynamic heterogeneities. The relationship between this kinetic structure and the underlying particle configuration remains an outstanding problem. In this Letter, we present a general simulation technique for identifying the features of the dynamic heterogeneity which arise due to a specific configuration, as distinct from the random spatial variation due to the intermittent particle dynamics.