title: Anomalous diffusion of self-propelled particles in directed random environments.
abstract: We theoretically study the transport properties of self-propelled particles on complex structures, such as motor proteins on filament networks. A general master equation formalism is developed to investigate the persistent motion of individual random walkers, which enables us to identify the contributions of key parameters: the motor processivity, and the anisotropy and heterogeneity of the underlying network. We prove the existence of different dynamical regimes of anomalous motion, and that the crossover times between these regimes as well as the asymptotic diffusion coefficient can be increased by several orders of magnitude within biologically relevant control parameter ranges. In terms of motion in continuous space, the interplay between stepping strategy and persistency of the walker is established as a source of anomalous diffusion at short and intermediate time scales.
authors.affiliation: Department of Theoretical Physics, Saarland University, D-66041 Saarbrücken, Germany.
authors.forename: M Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Shaebani
authors.affiliation: Department of Theoretical Physics, Saarland University, D-66041 Saarbrücken, Germany.
authors.forename: Zeinab
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Sadjadi
authors.affiliation: Institut für Physik, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Newtonstrasse 15, D-12489 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Igor M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Sokolov
authors.affiliation: Department of Theoretical Physics, Saarland University, D-66041 Saarbrücken, Germany.
authors.forename: Heiko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rieger
authors.affiliation: Department of Theoretical Physics, Saarland University, D-66041 Saarbrücken, Germany.
authors.forename: Ludger
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Santen
mesh_terms: D004058:Diffusion; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009038:Motion