Aging effects and population splitting in single-particle trajectory averages

Phys Rev Lett. 2013 Jan 11;110(2):020602. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.110.020602. Epub 2013 Jan 8.

Abstract

We study time averages of single particle trajectories in scale-free anomalous diffusion processes, in which the measurement starts at some time t(a)>0 after initiation of the process at t=0. Using aging renewal theory, we show that for such nonstationary processes a large class of observables are affected by a unique aging function, which is independent of boundary conditions or the external forces. Moreover, we discuss the implications of aging induced population splitting: with growing age t(a) of the process, an increasing fraction of particles remains motionless in a measurement of fixed duration. Consequences for single biomolecule tracking in live cells are discussed.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cell Physiological Phenomena
  • Diffusion
  • Models, Biological
  • Models, Chemical
  • Models, Theoretical*