Localization constraints in Gaussian wave packet molecular dynamics of nonideal plasmas

The problem of wave packet broadening in the method of wave packet molecular dynamics simulations of electron-ion nonideal plasmas is discussed. It is shown that when using a harmonic restrictive potential for the packet widths, simulation results depend strongly on the constraint parameter. Two new approaches to constraining the packet broadening in a less stringent way are analyzed: periodic boundary conditions for widths and a dynamic constraint, based on filtering close particle collisions. These different ways to localize electrons are compared by calculating the dynamical plasma collision rate and the particle pair distribution functions.