Quantum computers can finally simulate 'messy' fluid dynamics by treating turbulence like a quantum wave.
April 14, 2026
Original Paper
Schrödinger-Navier-Stokes Equation for the Quantum Simulation of Navier-Stokes Flows
arXiv · 2604.11113
The Takeaway
This is the first quantum algorithm to map genuine Navier-Stokes equations—including pressure and vorticity—to a wave-like formulation. It enables the simulation of complex flows that are currently intractable for classical hardware.
From the abstract
The search for quantum-like wave formulations of the Navier-Stokes (Schrödinger-Navier-Stokes, SNS for short) equations describing classical dissipative fluids has met with increasing attention in the recent years, due to the large portfolio of potential applications in science and engineering. A SNS formulation of classical fluids was first presented in a largely un-noticed paper by Dietrich and Vautherin back in 1985(Journal de Physique). In this paper, we revisit this specific SNS approach an