One-dimensional lattice random walks in a Gaussian random potential
Abstract We study random walks evolving in continuous time on a one-dimensional lattice where each site x hosts a quenched random potential U x . The potentials on different sites are independent, identically distributed Gaussian random variables. 
We analyze three distinct models that specify how the transition rates depend on 
U x : the random-force-like model, random walks with randomized stepping times, and the Gaussian trap model. Our analysis focuses on five key disorder-dependent quantities defined for a finite chain with 
 N sites: the probability current, its reciprocal (the resistance), the splitting probability E - , the mean first-passage time T N , and the diffusion coefficient D N in a periodic chain. By determining the moments of these random variables, we demonstrate that the probability current and resistance are not self-averaging, which leads to pronounced differences between their average and typical behaviors. In contrast, E - , T N and D N become self-averaging when N \to \infty, though they exhibit strong sample-to-sample fluctuations for finite N .
Authors
- Gleb Oshanin (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8467-3226)
- Luca Peliti (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1371-100X)
- Enzo Marinari (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3464-4133)
- Silvio Kalaj
Institutions
- Sorbonne Université (FR)
- Laboratoire de Physique Théorique de la Matière Condensée (FR)
- Sapienza University of Rome (IT)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Journal of Physics A Mathematical and Theoretical
- Published
- 2026-07-28
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1088/1751-8121/ae91a1
- Primary Topic
- Stochastic processes and statistical mechanics
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00