2019/02/28 by S. L. A. de Queiroz, R. B. Stinchcombe, R B Stinchcombe
Mathematics · Physics and Astronomy · #Classical mechanics #Flow (mathematics) #Geometry #Markov Chains and Monte Carlo Methods #Mathematics #Mechanics #Physics #Quantum mechanics #Spontaneous symmetry breaking #Statistical physics #Stochastic processes and statistical mechanics #Symmetry (geometry) #Symmetry breaking #Theoretical and Computational Physics #Theoretical physics #cond-mat.stat-mech
paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physreve.100.012141
published as Phys. Rev. E 100, 012141 (2019) · 9 pages, 10 figures (published version)
openalex publication_date 2019/07/26 · arxiv created 2019/07/30 · arxiv updated 2019/07/31 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
We present a numerical study of a two-lane version of the stochastic nonequilibrium model known as the totally asymmetric simple exclusion process. For such a system with open boundaries, and suitably chosen values of externally imposed particle injection (α) and ejection (β) rates, spontaneous symmetry breaking can occur. We investigate the statistics and internal structure of the stochastically induced transitions or "flips," which occur between opposite broken-symmetry states as the system evolves in time. From the distribution of time intervals separating successive flips, we show that the evolution of the associated characteristic times against externally imposed rates yields information regarding the proximity to a critical point in parameter space. On short timescales, we probe for the possible existence of precursor events to a flip between opposite broken-symmetry states. We study an adaptation of domain-wall theory to mimic the density reversal process associated with a flip.