2001/04/18 by Andreas Mielke
Computer Science · Physics and Astronomy · #Advanced Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics #Nonlinear Dynamics and Pattern Formation #cond-mat.stat-mech #stochastic dynamics and bifurcation
paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physreve.64.021106
published as Phys. Rev. E64, 021106, 1-12 (2001) · 18 pages, 2 figures, standard LaTeX2e
arxiv created 2001/04/18 · openalex publication_date 2001/07/18 · arxiv updated 2009/11/30 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
We discuss physical and mathematical aspects of the overdamped motion of a Brownian particle in fluctuating potentials. It is shown that such a system can be described quantitatively by fluctuating rates if the potential fluctuations are slow compared to relaxation within the minima of the potential, and if the position of the minima does not fluctuate. Effective rates can be calculated; they describe the long-time dynamics of the system. Furthermore, we show the existence of a stationary solution of the Fokker-Planck equation that describes the motion within the fluctuating potential under some general conditions. We also show that a stationary solution of the rate equations with fluctuating rates exists.