Optimal diffusive search: nonequilibrium resetting versus equilibrium dynamics

Martin R. Evans, Satya N. Majumdar, Kirone Mallick

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

We study first-passage time problems for a diffusive particle with stochastic resetting with a finite rate $r$. The optimal search time is compared quantitatively with that of an effective equilibrium Langevin process with the same stationary distribution. It is shown that the intermittent, nonequilibrium strategy with non-vanishing resetting rate is more efficient than the equilibrium dynamics. Our results are extended to multiparticle systems where a team of independent searchers, initially uniformly distributed with a given density, looks for a single immobile target. Both the average and the typical survival probability of the target are smaller in the case of nonequilibrium dynamics.
Original languageEnglish
Article number185001
JournalJournal of Physics A: Mathematical and Theoretical
Volume46
Issue number18
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 10 May 2013

Keywords

  • cond-mat.stat-mech

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