SPONTANEOUS JAMMING IN ONE-DIMENSIONAL SYSTEMS

We study the phenomenon of jamming in driven diffusive systems. We int roduce a simple microscopic model in which jamming of a conserved driv en species is mediated by the presence of a non-conserved quantity, ca using an effective long-range interaction of the driven species. We st udy the model analytically and numerically, providing strong evidence that jamming occurs; however, this proceeds via a strict phase transit ion (with spontaneous symmetry breaking) only in a prescribed limit. O utside this limit, the nearby transition (characterised by an essentia l singularity) induces sharp crossovers and transient coarsening pheno mena. We discuss the relevance of the model to two physical situations : the clustering of buses, and the clogging of a suspension forced alo ng a pipe.