Overdamped vs underdamped Langevin

  • Context: Graduate 
  • Thread starter Thread starter LagrangeEuler
  • Start date Start date
Join the discussion
Ask a follow-up here, or get your own question answered by working scientists, mathematicians and engineers — people, not an autocomplete.
Real named experts · corrections over time · the nuance an AI answer skips
6 replies · 4K views
LagrangeEuler
Messages
711
Reaction score
22
If overdamped equation looks like
##\dot{x}_i=x_{i+1}+x_{i-1}-2x_i-V'(x_i)+F(t)##
How to write down the underdamped Langevin equation
##\ddot{x}_i+\gamma\dot{x}_i=\gamma x_{i+1}+\gamma x_{i-1}-2 \gamma x_i-\gamma V'(x_i)+\gamma F(t)##
Am I right?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
It does look like the ##\gamma## has been absorbed into the terms. But I guess it could have been used to redefine the length scale, so I'm sure that multiplying everything by ##\gamma## is the right thing to do. You have to go back to the derivation of the equation.

And what does the index ##i## stand for?
 
It labels particles. For example particle ##i## has neirest neighbours ##i-1## and ##i+1##.
 
LagrangeEuler said:
It labels particles. For example particle ##i## has neirest neighbours ##i-1## and ##i+1##.

Then I really need more information on the physical system you are considering before I can be of any help.
 
http://allariz.uc3m.es/~anxosanchez/ep/prb_50_9652_94.pdf
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Looking at equation (1) in that paper, they have the damping parameter ##\alpha##. I skimmed through the article, and couldn't find any indication that they are considering an overdamped regime, or indeed the first equation you gave in the OP.
 
I known. But I'm interesting in that relation. Do you know some reference where I can find it? How could you always get from overdamped, underdamped and vice versa?