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Run-and-tumble particle in one-dimensional confining potential: Steady state, relaxation and first passage properties

We study the dynamics of a one-dimensional run and tumble particle subjected to confining potentials of the type $V(x) = α\, |x|^p$, with $p>0$. The noise that drives the particle dynamics is telegraphic and alternates between $\pm 1$ values. We show that the stationary probability density $P(x)$ has a rich behavior in the $(p, α)$-plane. For $p>1$, the distribution has a finite support in $[x_-,x_+]$ and there is a critical line $α_c(p)$ that separates an active-like phase for $α> α_c(p)$ where $P(x)$ diverges at $x_\pm$, from a passive-like phase for $α< α_c(p)$ where $P(x)$ vanishes at $x_\pm$. For $p<1$, the stationary density $P(x)$ collapses to a delta function at the origin, $P(x) = δ(x)$. In the marginal case $p=1$, we show that, for $α< α_c$, the stationary density $P(x)$ is a symmetric exponential, while for $α> α_c$, it again is a delta function $P(x) = δ(x)$. For the special cases $p=2$ and $p=1$, we obtain exactly the full time-dependent distribution $P(x,t)$, that allows us to study how the system relaxes to its stationary state. In addition, in these two cases, we also study analytically the full distribution of the first-passage time to the origin. Numerical simulations are in complete agreement with our analytical predictions.