Machine Learning of Dynamic Electron Correlation Energies from Topological Atoms

We present an innovative method for predicting the dynamic electron correlation energy of an atom or a bond in a molecule utilizing topological atoms. Our approach uses the machine learning method Kriging (Gaussian Process Regression with a non-zero mean function) to predict these dynamic electron correlation energy contributions. The true energy values are calculated by partitioning the MP2 two-particle density-matrix via the Interacting Quantum Atoms (IQA) procedure. To our knowledge, this is the first time such energies have been predicted by a machine learning technique. We present here three important proof-of-concept cases: the water monomer, the water dimer, and the van der Waals complex H₂···He. These cases represent the final step toward the design of a full IQA potential for molecular simulation. This final piece will enable us to consider situations in which dispersion is the dominant intermolecular interaction. The results from these examples suggest a new method by which dispersion potentials for molecular simulation can be generated.