Algorithmic Advances Towards a Realizable Quantum Lattice Boltzmann Method

Abstract

The Quantum Lattice Boltzmann Method (QLBM) is one of the most promising approaches for realizing the potential of quantum computing in simulating computational fluid dynamics. Many recent works mostly focus on classical simulation, and rely on full state tomography. Several key algorithmic issues like observable readout, data encoding, and impractical circuit depth remain unsolved. As a result, these are not directly realizable on any quantum hardware. We present a series of novel algorithmic advances which allow us to implement the QLBM algorithm, for the first time, on a quantum computer. Hardware results for the time evolution of a 2D Gaussian initial density distribution subject to a uniform advection-diffusion field are presented. Furthermore, 3D simulation results are presented for particular non-uniform advection fields, devised so as to avoid the problem of diminishing probability of success due to repeated post-selection operations required for multiple timesteps. We demonstrate the evolution of an initial quantum state governed by the advection-diffusion equation, accounting for the iterative nature of the explicit QLBM algorithm. A tensor network encoding scheme is used to represent the initial condition supplied to the advection-diffusion equation, significantly reducing the two-qubit gate count affording a shorter circuit depth. Further reductions are made in the collision and streaming operators. Collectively, these advances give a path to realizing more practical, 2D and 3D QLBM applications with non-trivial velocity fields on quantum hardware.