Single particle trajectory analysis in complex systems: anomalous diffusion and violation of ergodicity

by Ralf Metzler (TU München)

Wednesday 3 Feb 2010, 11:00 → 12:00 Europe/Stockholm

FA31

Single particle trajectory analysis has become one of the standard tools to probe systems on smaller scales such as biological cells. If the particle motion follows the laws of regular Brownian motion the long time average equals the ensemble average, and thus a measured time series renders complete information on the systems. This is no longer necessarily fulfilled for systems in which deviations from the normal diffusive law <x^2(t)>\propto Kt occur. It will be shown in this talk how systems can be analysed when ergodicity is broken and thus the time average differens from the ensemble mean. From comparison to experiments it will be discussed that such problems are indeed relevant.