Decay of metastable states: Mean relaxation time formulation

Description

The mean relaxation time formalism introduced by Nadler and Schulten [J. Chem. Phys. 82, 151 (1985)] in their generalized moment expansion method is extended to a general diffusion process in arbitrary dimensions. The utility of the approach is demonstrated by calculating analytically the rate of noise-induced transitions in a bistable system with an isolated transition point. The rate formula obtained summarizes in a uniform manner much of what had been done before in this field. Limitations of its validity are discussed and a perturbation procedure to systematically improve it is proposed. The validity of our theoretical predictions for the rate is confirmed by comparing with exact numerical results.

Abstract

Dirección General de Enseñanza Superior e Investigación Científica de España PB96-534

Abstract

Ministry of Education, Science, and Culture of Japan

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