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Fully inertial active Brownian particle in a harmonic potential
Evgeny A Lisin1, Irina I Lisina1
1Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, Joint Institute for High Temperatures, of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 125412 Moscow, Russia and , 141701 Moscow Region, Dolgoprudny, Russia.
Physical Review. E
|February 20, 2026
Summary
A new theory explains inertial motion for active Brownian particles in traps. Rotational inertia introduces a novel dynamical mode, suppressing oscillations and causing quasiballistic motion under strong confinement.
Area of Science:
- Physics
- Statistical Mechanics
- Soft Matter Physics
Background:
- The Uhlenbeck-Ornstein theory (1930) described passive Brownian motion in harmonic potentials.
- Active Brownian particle research intensified in the 1990s, yet a complete inertial theory in confining fields is lacking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a rigorous theory for the inertial motion of active Brownian particles in a 2D harmonic trap.
- To investigate the impact of translational and rotational inertia on particle dynamics.
Main Methods:
- Rigorous calculations of steady-state position and velocity autocorrelation functions.
- Analysis of an active Brownian particle model with full inertia in a harmonic potential.
Main Results:
- The active Ornstein-Uhlenbeck particle inertial model provides an approximation only for limited system parameters.
- Rotational inertia significantly alters dynamics, especially under strong confinement.
- A novel dynamical mode is predicted, characterized by suppressed oscillations and quasiballistic motion.
Conclusions:
- The study reveals limitations of existing models for inertial active Brownian particles.
- Rotational inertia is crucial for understanding particle dynamics in confined systems.
- A new dynamical mode with potential experimental relevance has been identified.
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