A unified framework for force-based and energy-based adaptive resolution simulations

Adaptive resolution schemes enable molecular dynamics simulations of liquids and soft matter employing two different resolution levels concurrently in the same setup. These methods are based on a position-dependent interpolation of either forces or potential energy functions. While force-based methods generally lead to non-conservative forces, energy-based ones include undesired force terms proportional to the gradient of the interpolation function. In this work we establish a so far missing bridge between these formalisms making use of the generalized Langevin equation, thereby providing a unifying framework to traditionally juxtaposed approaches to adaptive simulations.