Diffusion with stochastic resetting screened by a semipermeable interface
File(s)semiperm(reset)R.pdf (505.47 KB)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Bressloff, Paul C
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
In this paper we consider the diffusive search for a bounded target $\Omega \in \mathbb{R}^d$ with its boundary $\partial \Omega$ totally absorbing. We assume that the target is surrounded by a semipermeable interface given by the closed surface $\partial \mathcal{M}$ with $\Omega \subset \mathcal{M}\subset \mathbb{R}^d$. That is, the interface totally surrounds the target and thus partially screens the diffusive search process. We also assume that the position of the diffusing particle (searcher) randomly resets to its initial position x0 according to a Poisson process with a resetting rate r. The location x0 is taken to be outside the interface, $\mathbf{x}_0\in \mathcal{M}^c$, which means that resetting does not occur when the particle is within the interior of $\partial \mathcal{M}$. (Otherwise, the particle would have to cross the interface in order to reset to x0.) Hence, the semipermeable interface also screens out the effects of resetting. We illustrate the theory by explicitly solving the boundary value problem for a three-dimensional (3D) spherically symmetric interface and a concentric spherical target. We calculate the mean first passage time (MFPT) to find (be absorbed by) the target and explore its behavior as a function of the permeability κ0 of the interface and the radius of the interface R. In particular, we find that increasing R for a fixed target size reduces the MFPT and increases the optimal resetting rate at which the MFPT is minimized. We also find that the sensitivity of the MFPT to changes in κ0 is a decreasing function of R. Finally, we introduce a stochastic single-particle realization of the search process based on a generalization of so-called snapping out Brownian motion (BM). The latter sews together successive rounds of reflecting BM on either side of the interface. The main challenge is establishing that the probability density generated by the snapping out BM satisfies the permeable boundary conditions at the interface. We show how this can be achieved using renewal theory.
Date Issued
2023-03-10
Date Acceptance
2023-02-08
Citation
Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and Theoretical, 2023, 56 (10)
ISSN
1751-8113
Publisher
IOP Publishing
Journal / Book Title
Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and Theoretical
Volume
56
Issue
10
Copyright Statement
Copyright © 2023 IOP Publishing Ltd. This is an author-created, un-copyedited version of an article published in Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and Theoretical. IOP Publishing Ltd is not responsible for any errors or omissions in this version of the manuscript or any version derived from it. The Version of Record is available online at 10.1088/1751-8121/acba63
Identifier
http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1751-8121/acba63
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
105001
Date Publish Online
2023-02-21