Mathematics

Findings from P. Levitz and co-authors broaden understanding of physics

  2008 NOV 24 - (VerticalNews.com) -- "We analyze the intermittent Brownian dynamics (a succession of adsorption and bulk relocation steps) of a test particle over a single strand. We propose an analytic expression of the relocation time distribution at all times," scientists in Palaiseau, France report.

  "We show that this distribution has a nontrivial heavily tailed statistics at long time with a diverging average relocation time. In order to experimentally probe this first passage statistics, we follow the intermittent Brownian dynamics of water molecules over long and stiff imogolite mineral strands, using a field cycling NMR dispersion technique. Our analytic derivation is found to be in good agreement with experimental data on a large domain of observation," wrote P. Levitz and colleagues.

  The researchers concluded: "Implications for the efficiency of a search strategy on a single filament are then discussed and the importance of the confinement and/or the finite size effect is emphasized."

  Levitz and colleagues published their study in Physical Review E (Intermittent Brownian dynamics over a rigid strand: Heavily tailed relocation statistics in a simple geometry. Physical Review E, 2008;78(3 Part 1):102).

  For additional information, contact P. Levitz, Ecole Polytechnic, CNRS, F-91128 Palaiseau, France.

  The publisher's contact information for the journal Physical Review E is: American Physical Society, One Physics Ellipse, College Pk, MD 20740-3844, USA.

  Keywords: Geometry, MathematicsPhysics.

  This article was prepared by VerticalNews Mathematics editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2008, VerticalNews Mathematics via VerticalNews.com.