Metadynamics of paths

Abstract

We present a method to sample reactive pathways via biased molecular dynamics simulations in trajectory space. We show that the use of enhanced sampling techniques enables unconstrained exploration of multiple reaction routes. Time correlation functions are conveniently computed via reweighted averages along a single trajectory and kinetic rates are accessed at no additional cost. These abilities are illustrated analyzing a model potential and the umbrella inversion of NH${}_3$ in water. The algorithm allows a parallel implementation and promises to be a powerful tool for the study of rare events.

Main Text: 5 pages, 5 figures, 7 equations. Supplemental Material: 6 pages, 11 figures, 11 equations