Mechanical and Langevin thermostats: Gulton staircase problem

Dynamics in a Gulton staircase is considered based on a model in which many particles, coupled through an average velocity, are in contact with a Gaus sian thermostat. Computer simulation gives information on entropy productio n, the stationary mass current, and distribution functions of both particle positions and momenta. A Langevin thermostat is also considered for the sa ke of comparison with a mechanical thermostat. [S1063-651X(99)09105-9].