Different time regimes of tracer exchange in single-file systems

A complete description of the time dependence of tracer exchange in single-file systems is given. It is based on the combined application of dynamic Monte Carlo simulations and analytical calculations. Depending on the time elapsed, the tracer exchange is found to have different time scaling related to transport modes of either normal diffusion or single-file diffusion. The mode of single-file diffusion is reproduced by recent tracer exchange experiments conducted by laser-polarized 129Xe NMR spectroscopy.