Quasi-stationary distribution and metastability for the stochastic Becker-D\'oring model
- Resource Type
- Working Paper
- Authors
- Hingant, Erwan; Yvinec, Romain
- Source
- Subject
- Mathematics - Probability
Mathematical Physics
82C26, 60J27
- Language
We study a stochastic version of the classical Becker-D\"oring model, a well-known kinetic model for cluster formation that predicts the existence of a long-lived metastable state before a thermodynamically unfavorable nucleation occurs, leading to a phase transition phenomena. This continuous-time Markov chain model has received little attention, compared to its deterministic differential equations counterpart. We show that the stochastic formulation leads to a precise and quantitative description of stochastic nucleation events thanks to an exponentially ergodic quasi-stationary distribution for the process conditionally on nucleation has not yet occurred.
Comment: 14 pages