Approximate analytical solution of the jump rate problem in a symmetric well with spatially varying friction

✍ Scribed by R. Ferrando; R. Spadacini; G.E. Tommei

• Book ID: 103894822
• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1993
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 410 KB
• Volume: 196
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0378-4371
• DOI: 10.1016/0378-4371(93)90084-h

✦ Synopsis

The jump rate problem for a particle in a periodic potential is studied by an analytical solution of the Klein-Kramers equation. The very general case of a position-dependent friction is considered. The low-friction solution is obtained extending to the symmetric well the Wiener-Hopf method developed by Mel'nikov and Meshkov in the study of the escape rate from a metastable well with position-independent friction. An analytical expression for the jump rate, valid in the whole damping range, is obtained by a multiplicative bridging formula. Explicit results are presented for a cosine potential and a cosine friction and the low and high damping limits are discussed.