arXiv subjects

Pascal Viot

Publications and source records attributed to Pascal Viot.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Ornstein-Uhlenbeck Process Driven by Multiple Dichotomous Noises

We study a generalized Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process driven by a superposition of $K$ independent dichotomous noises with arbitrary fixed amplitudes and switching rates. Unlike the classical Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process driven by equilibrium Gaussian white noise, the present system is governed by bounded nonequilibrium fluctuations with finite correlation times. We obtain exact expressions for the stationary position distribution and all cumulants, and show that the stationary state possesses an unexpectedly rich structure, including compact support, algebraic branch-point singularities, edge divergences, and multiple extrema. We establish a mapping onto a heterogeneous random-flight process with bounded jumps, yielding a transparent probabilistic interpretation of the stationary measure. We further analyze several limiting regimes, including the crossover to Gaussian statistics for large numbers of noise sources. For ensembles with exponentially-distributed quenched amplitudes, we derive exact disorder-averaged stationary distributions and show that disorder fundamentally alters the stationary state, producing exponential tails decorated by algebraic prefactors with non-trivial exponents.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2026

Convergence to the exact kinetics of the one-dimensional Riviera model

The Riviera model is a random sequential deposition model for house building on a lattice, in which a house cannot be built when both nearest-neighbor sites are already occupied. In one dimension, an attempted deposition is therefore rejected whenever the target site is an isolated vacancy. Despite the apparent simplicity of this rule, no exact analytical solution of the original model is currently known. We derive an infinite hierarchy of kinetic equations governing its dynamics and introduce a systematic closure scheme that can be implemented at arbitrary finite order. Solving the resulting systems order by order, we show that the corresponding kinetics converges rapidly toward the exact behavior. At high order, the method yields an exceptionally accurate estimate of the jamming density while retaining explicit analytical expressions for the full time-dependent evolution.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2026

Diffusing diffusivity model with dichotomous noise

We study Langevin dynamics with stochastic diffusivity arising from fluctuations of the surrounding medium. The diffusivity is modeled as Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process driven by symmetric dichotomous noise, which confines it to a finite interval. We derive analytical expressions for the short-time probability density function (PDF) of the particle displacement and analyse its asymptotic behaviour. While the PDF retains the characteristic logarithmic divergence at the origin, its tails differ from the Gaussian white-noise case: exponential tails are replaced by Gaussian ones modulated by a power-law with a switching-rate-dependent exponent. At long times, the dynamics converges to ordinary Gaussian diffusion. We determine the variance and covariance of the time-averaged stochastic diffusivity and show that it is self-averaging. The model provides a minimal analytically tractable framework for stochastic transport in environments with bounded or switching fluctuations.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2025

Stochastic gyration driven by dichotomous noises

We consider stochastic dynamics of a particle on a plane in presence of two noises and a confining parabolic potential - an analog of the experimentally-relevant Brownian Gyrator (BG) model. In contrast to the standard BG model, we suppose here that the time-evolution of the position components is driven not by Gaussian white-noises, but by two statistically-independent dichotomous noises. We calculate analytically the position variances and cross-correlations, as well as the mean angular momentum, which permits us to establish the conditions in which a spontaneous rotational motion of the particle around the origin takes place. We also present a numerical analysis of the mean angular velocity. Lastly, we calculate analytically some marginal position probability density functions revealing a remarkably rich behavior that emerges in such a system of two coupled linear stochastic differential equations. We show that depending on the values of parameters characterizing noises these distributions approach the steady-state forms defined on a finite support, having very unusual shapes, possessing multiple maxima and minima, plateaus and exhibiting a discontinuous behavior.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2025

Chiral order emergence driven by quenched disorder

Quenched disorder can destroy magnetic order, for example when a random field is applied in a 2-dimensional Ising model. Even when an order exists in the presence of quenched disorder, it is usually only the survival of the order of the clean model. We present here a surprising phenomenon where an order emerges, driven by quenched disorder. This order has nothing in common with the order present in the clean model. This type of \textit{order by disorder} differs from the usual thermal or quantum one. The classical $J_1-J_3$ Heisenberg model on the kagome lattice is studied by parallel tempering Monte Carlo simulations, with site dilution. After analyzing the effect of a few vacancies on the ground state, favoring non-coplanar configurations, we show the emergence of a low-temperature chiral phase and the progressive destruction of the collinear $q=4$ Potts order, the only order present in the absence of vacancies.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2024

Random sequential covering of a one-dimensional lattice by $k$-mers

In random sequential covering, identical objects are deposited randomly, irreversibly, and sequentially; only attempts that increase coverage are accepted. The process continues indefinitely on an infinite substrate, and we analyze the dynamics of random sequential covering of $\mathbb{Z}$ using $k$-mers. We introduce a method that provides a comprehensive solution to the dynamics of this process. We derive explicit solutions for trimers, tetramers, and pentamers; we study numerically random sequential covering by longer polymers ($k>5$).

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2024

A random planting model

The adoption of agroecological practices will be crucial to address the challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss. Such practices favor the cultivation of plants in complex mixtures with layouts differing from the monoculture approach of conventional agriculture. Inspired by random sequential adsorption processes, we propose a one-dimensional model in which the plants are represented as line segments that start as points and grow at a constant rate until they reach length $\sigma$ after a time interval $\tau$. The planting positions and times are randomly chosen with the constraint that plant overlap is forbidden. We apply an exact, event-driven simulation to investigate the resulting spatiotemporal patterns and yields in both mono- and duocultures. After a transient period, with oscillations in the density and coverage, the field reaches a steady state in which the mean age of plants is one half of the time to maturity. The structure of the active plants is characterized by correlation functions between the fluctuation of the age of a plant and its $k$th neighbour. Nearest neighbours are negatively correlated, while next nearest neighbours tend to have similar ages. The steady state yield increases with the planting rate and approaches a maximum value of 4/3 plants per unit length per unit time. For two species with the same size at maturity but different growth rates, the more slowly growing species is enriched in the harvest compared to the seed mix composition. If two species have the same time to maturity but different sizes, the smaller one is enriched in the harvest and, at a sufficiently high planting rate, the larger species may be completely absent. For two species with the same ratio of $\sigma/\tau$ the selectivity is insensitive to the planting rate. The model may be extended to higher dimensions, more species and other planting strategies.

q-bio.PE↗

arXiv2023

Irregular gyration of a two-dimensional random-acceleration process in a confining potential

We study the stochastic dynamics of a two-dimensional particle assuming that the components of its position are two coupled random-acceleration processes evolving in a confining parabolic potential and are the subjects of independent Gaussian white noises with different amplitudes (temperatures). We determine the standard characteristic properties, i.e., the moments of position's components and their velocities, mixed moments and two-time correlations, as well as the position-velocity probability density function (pdf). We show that if the amplitudes of the noises are not equal, then the particle experiences a non-zero (on average) torque, such that the angular momentum L and the angular velocity W have non-zero mean values. Both are (irregularly) oscillating with time t, such that the characteristics of a rotational motion are changing their signs. We also evaluate the pdf-s of L and W and show that the former has exponential tails for any fixed t, and hence, all moments. In addition, in the large-time limit this pdf converges to a uniform distribution with a diverging variance. The pdf of W possesses heavy power-law tails such that the mean W is the only existing moment. This pdf converges to a limiting form which, surprisingly, is completely independent of the amplitudes of noises.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2023

Destructive effect of fluctuations on the performance of a Brownian gyrator

The Brownian gyrator (BG) is often called a minimal model of a nano-engine performing a rotational motion, judging solely upon the fact that in non-equilibrium conditions its torque, angular momentum ${\cal L}$ and angular velocity $\cal W$ have non-zero mean values. For a time-discretized model, which is most adapted for the analysis of an essentially discrete-time data garnered in experiments or numerical simulations, we calculate the previously unknown probability density functions (PDFs) of ${\cal L}$ and $\cal W$. For finite time-step $\delta t$, the PDF of ${\cal L}$ has exponential tails and all moments are therefore well-defined, but the noise-to-signal ratio can attain big values for small $\delta t$. Conversely, the PDF of ${\cal W}$ exhibits heavy power-law tails and its mean ${\cal W}$ is the only existing moment. The BG is therefore not an engine in the common sense: it does not exhibit regular rotations on each run and its fluctuations are not only a minor nuisance -- on contrary, their effect is completely destructive for the performance. Our theoretical predictions are confirmed by numerical simulations and experimental data. We discuss some plausible improvements

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2023

Out-of-equilibrium dynamics of two interacting optically-trapped particles

We present a theoretical analysis of a non-equilibrium dynamics in a model system consisting of two particles which move randomly on a plane. The two particles interact via a harmonic potential, experience their own (independent from each other) noises characterized by two different temperatures $T_1$ and $T_2$, and each particle is being held by its own optical tweezer. Such a system with two particle coupled by hydrodynamic interactions was previously realised experimentally in B\'erut et al. [EPL {\bf 107}, 60004 (2014)], and the difference between two temperatures has been achieved by exerting an additional noise on either of the tweezers. Framing the dynamics in terms of two coupled over-damped Langevin equations, we show that the system reaches a non-equilibrium steady-state with non-zero (for $T_1 \neq T_2$) probability currents that possess non-zero curls. As a consequence, in this system the particles are continuously spinning around their centers of mass in a completely synchronised way - the curls of currents at the instantaneous positions of two particles have the same magnitude and sign. Moreover, we demonstrate that the components of currents of two particles are strongly correlated and undergo a rotational motion along closed elliptic orbits.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2022

Cooperative dynamics in two-component out-of-equilibrium systems: Molecular "spinning tops"

We study the two-dimensional Langevin dynamics of a two-component system, whose components are in contact with heat baths kept at different temperatures. Dynamics is constrained by an optical trap and the \text{dissimilar} species interact via a quadratic potential. We realize that the system evolves towards a peculiar non-equilibrium steady-state with a non-zero probability current possessing a non-zero curl, such that the randomly moving particles are spinning around themselves, like "spinning top" toys. Our analysis shows that the spinning motion is correlated and also reveals an emerging cooperative behavior of the spatial components of the probability currents of dissimilar species.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2022

Fractional Brownian Gyrator

When a physical system evolves in a thermal bath at a constant temperature, it arrives eventually to an equilibrium state whose properties are independent of the kinetic parameters and of the precise evolution scenario. This is generically not the case for a system driven out of equilibrium which, on the contrary, reaches a steady-state with properties that depend on the full details of the dynamics such as the driving noise and the energy dissipation. How the steady state depends on such parameters is in general a non-trivial question. Here, we approach this broad problem using a minimal model of a two-dimensional nano-machine, the Brownian gyrator, that consists of a trapped particle driven by fractional Gaussian noises -- a family of noises with long-ranged correlations in time and characterized by an anomalous diffusion exponent $\alpha$. When the noise is different in the different spatial directions, our fractional Brownian gyrator persistently rotates. Even if the noise is non-trivial, with long-ranged time correlations, thanks to its Gaussian nature we are able to characterize analytically the resulting nonequilibrium steady state by computing the probability density function, the probability current, its curl and the angular velocity and complement our study by numerical results.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2020

Emergent Potts order in the kagom\'e $J_1-J_3$ Heisenberg model

Motivated by the physical properties of Vesignieite BaCu$_3$V$_2$O$_8$(OH)$_2$, we study the $J_1-J_3$ Heisenberg model on the kagom\'e lattice, that is proposed to describe this compound for $J_1<0$ and $J_3\gg|J_1|$. The nature of the classical ground state and the possible phase transitions are investigated through analytical calculations and parallel tempering Monte Carlo simulations. For $J_1<0$ and $J_3>\frac{1+\sqrt{5}}4|J_1|$, the ground states are not all related by an Hamiltonian symmetry. Order appears at low temperature via the order by disorder mechanism, favoring colinear configurations and leading to an emergent $q=4$ Potts parameter. This gives rise to a finite temperature phase transition. Effect of quantum fluctuations are studied through linear spin wave approximation and high temperature expansions of the $S=1/2$ model. For $J_3$ between $\frac14|J_1|$ and $\frac{1+\sqrt{5}}4|J_1|$, the ground state goes through a succession of semi-spiral states, possibly giving rise to multiple phase transitions at low temperatures.

cond-mat.str-el↗

arXiv2020

Anisotropic long-range interaction investigated with cold atoms

In two dimensions, a system of self-gravitating particles collapses and forms a singularity in finite time below a critical temperature $T_c$. We investigate experimentally a quasi two-dimensional cloud of cold neutral atoms in interaction with two pairs of perpendicular counter-propagating quasi-resonant laser beams, in order to look for a signature of this ideal phase transition: indeed, the radiation pressure forces exerted by the laser beams can be viewed as an anisotropic, and non-potential, generalization of two-dimensional self-gravity. We first show that our experiment operates in a parameter range which should be suitable to observe the collapse transition. However, the experiment unveils only a moderate compression instead of a phase transition between the two phases. A three-dimensional numerical simulation shows that both the finite small thickness of the cloud, which induces a competition between the effective gravity force and the repulsive force due to multiple scattering, and the atomic losses due to heating in the third dimension, contribute to smearing the transition.

physics.atom-ph↗

arXiv2019

Recurrence dynamics of particulate transport with reversible blockage: from a single channel to a bundle of coupled channels

We model a particulate flow of constant velocity through confined geometries, ranging from a single channel to a bundle of $N_c$ identical coupled channels, under conditions of reversible blockage. Quantities of interest include the exiting particle flux (or throughput) and the probability that the bundle is open. For a constant entering flux, the bundle evolves through a transient regime to a steady state. We present analytic solutions for the stationary properties of a single channel with capacity $N\le 3$ and for a bundle of channels each of capacity $N = 1$. For larger values of $N$ and $N_c$, the system's steady state behavior is explored by numerical simulation. Depending on the deblocking time, the exiting flux either increases monotonically with intensity or displays a maximum at a finite intensity. For large $N$ we observe an abrupt change from a state with few blockages to one in which the bundle is permanently blocked and the exiting flux is due entirely to the release of blocked particles. We also compare the relative efficiency of coupled and uncoupled bundles. For $N=1$ the coupled system is always more efficient, but for $N>1$ the behavior is more complex.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2018

Stochastic models of multi-channel particulate transport with blockage

Networks of channels conveying particles are often subject to blockages due to the limited carrying capacity of the individual channels. If the channels are coupled, blockage of one causes an increase in the flux entering the remaining open channels leading to a cascade of failures. Once all channels are blocked no additional particle can enter the system. If the blockages are of finite duration, however, the system reaches a steady state with an exiting flux that is reduced compared to the incoming one. We propose a stochastic model consisting of $N_c$ channels each with a blocking threshold of $N$ particles. Particles enter the system according to a Poisson process with the entering flux of intensity $\Lambda$ equally distributed over the open channels. Any particle in an open channel exits at a rate $\mu$ and a blocked channel unblocks at a rate $\mu^*$. We present a method to obtain the exiting flux in the steady state, and other properties, for arbitrary $N_c$ and $N$ and we present explicit solutions for $N_c=2,3$. We apply these results to compare the efficiency of conveying a particulate stream of intensity $\Lambda$ using different channel configurations. We compare a single "robust" channel with a large capacity with multiple "fragile" channels with a proportionately reduced capacity. The "robust" channel is more efficient at low intensity, while multiple, "fragile" channels have a higher throughput at large intensity. We also compare $N_c$ coupled channels with $N_c$ independent channels, both with threshold $N=2$. For $N_c=2$ if $\mu^*/\mu>1/4$, the coupled channels are always more efficient. Otherwise the independent channels are more efficient for sufficiently large $\Lambda$.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2018

Glassy dynamics of dense particle assemblies on a spherical substrate

We study by Molecular Dynamics simulation a dense one-component system of particles confined on a spherical substrate. We more specifically investigate the evolution of the structural and dynamical properties of the system when changing the control parameters, the temperature and the curvature of the substrate. We find that the dynamics becomes glassy at low temperature, with a strong slowdown of the relaxation and the emergence of dynamical heterogeneity. The prevalent local $6$-fold order is frustrated by curvature and we analyze in detail the role of the topological defects in the statics and the dynamics of the particle assembly.

cond-mat.soft↗

arXiv2018

Two-temperature Brownian dynamics of a particle in a confining potential

We consider the two dimensional motion of a particle into a confining potential, subjected to Brownian forces, associated with two different temperatures on the orthogonal directions. Exact solutions are obtained for an asymmetric harmonic potential in the overdamped and underdamped regimes, whereas perturbative approaches are used for more general potentials. The resulting non equilibrium stationary state is characterized with a nonzero orthoradial mean current, corresponding to a global rotation of the particle around the center. The rotation is due to two symmetry breaking: two different temperatures and a mismatch between the principal axes of the confining asymmetric potential and the temperature axes. We confirm our predictions by performing Brownian dynamics simulation. Finally, we propose to observe this effect on a laser cooled atomic system.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗