arXiv · nlin/0001062
Microscopic chaos and diffusion
Abstract
We investigate the connections between microscopic chaos, defined on a dynamical level and arising from collisions between molecules, and diffusion, characterized by a mean square displacement proportional to the time. We use a number of models involving a single particle moving in two dimensions and colliding with fixed scatterers. We find that a number of microscopically nonchaotic models exhibit diffusion, and that the standard methods of chaotic time series analysis are ill suited to the problem of distinguishing between chaotic and nonchaotic microscopic dynamics. However, we show that periodic orbits play an important role in our models, in that their different properties in chaotic and nonchaotic systems can be used to distinguish such systems at the level of time series analysis, and in systems with absorbing boundaries. Our findings are relevant to experiments aimed at verifying the existence of chaoticity and related dynamical properties on a microscopic level in diffusive systems.
Explore related subjects
Keep this discovery
C. P. Dettmann, E. G. D. Cohen. 2000-07-21. Microscopic chaos and diffusion. https://arxiv.org/abs/nlin/0001062
Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.