Subdiffusive dynamics in washboard potentials: two different approaches and different universality classes

TL;DR

This paper compares two approaches to fractional subdiffusion in washboard potentials, revealing fundamental differences and identifying two distinct universality classes of asymptotic dynamics.

Contribution

It introduces and contrasts two fractional subdiffusion models, clarifying their differences and classifying their asymptotic behaviors in washboard potentials.

Findings

The two approaches exhibit profound differences despite similarities.

Asymptotic dynamics fall into two different universality classes.

Universality classes are independent of potential form.

Abstract

We consider and compare two different approaches to the fractional subdiffusion and transport in washboard potentials. One is based on the concept of random fractal time and is associated with the fractional Fokker-Planck equation. Another approach is based on the fractional generalized Langevin dynamics and is associated with anti-persistent fractional Brownian motion and its generalizations. Profound differences between these two different approaches sharing the common adjective "fractional" are explained in spite of some similarities they share in the absence of a nonlinear force. In particular, we show that the asymptotic dynamics in tilted washboard potentials obey two different universality classes independently of the form of potential.