A Hamiltonian Formulation for Energy Loss, Collision Rate, and Entropy Evolution in Collisionless and Collisional Plasmas: Transition from Maxwellian to Non-Maxwellian Distributions

Abstract: In this paper, we present a generalised Hamiltonian formulation to model the collision rate, energy loss, entropy evolution, and the transition from Maxwellian to non-Maxwellian distributions in a plasma. By incorporating gyrokinetic turbulence and the effects of collisions, we derive a Hamiltonian that captures both the collisionless and collisional dynamics of a plasma. The formulation accounts for entropy production, energy transport, and the resulting changes in plasma confinability. We show how entropy increase during the transition from Maxwellian to non-Maxwellian states impacts fusion efficiency and plasma stability. Finally, we provide a mathematical proof that links entropy evolution to energy loss and the emergent properties of confinement.