Transport properties and first-arrival statistics of random motion with stochastic reset times.

Abstract

Stochastic resets have lately emerged as a mechanism able to generate finite equilibrium mean-square displacement (MSD) when they are applied to diffusive motion. Furthermore, walkers with an infinite mean first-arrival time (MFAT) to a given position x may reach it in a finite time when they reset their position. In this work we study these emerging phenomena from a unified perspective. On one hand, we study the existence of a finite equilibrium MSD when resets are applied to random motion with 〈x^{2}(t)〉_{m}∼t^{p} for 0<p≤2. For exponentially distributed reset times, a compact formula is derived for the equilibrium MSD of the overall process in terms of the mean reset time and the motion MSD. On the other hand, we also test the robustness of the finiteness of the MFAT for different motion dynamics which are subject to stochastic resets. Finally, we study a biased Brownian oscillator with resets with the general formulas derived in this work, finding its equilibrium first moment and MSD and its MFAT to the minimum of the harmonic potential.