Paper detail

Motion of an active particle with dynamical disorder

We propose a model for the motion of a single active particle in a heterogeneous environment where the heterogeneity may arise due to the crowding, conformational fluctuations and/or slow rearrangement of the surroundings. Describing the active particle in terms of the Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process (OUP) and incorporating the heterogeneity in the thermal bath using the two separate models, namely "diffusing diffusivity" and "switching diffusion", we explore the essential dynamical properties of the particle for its one-dimensional motion. In addition, we show how the dynamical behavior is controlled by two timescales, namely diffusive time and persistence time. Our model is relevant in the context of single particle dynamics in crowded environment, driven by activity.