One-dimensional arrays of oscillators: Energy localization in thermal equilibrium

All systems in thermal equilibrium exhibit a spatially variable energy land scape due to thermal fluctuations. Thus at any instant there is naturally a thermodynamically driven localization of energy in parts of the system rel ative to other parts of the system. The specific characteristics of the spa tial landscape such as, for example, the energy variance, depend on the the rmodynamic properties of the system and vary from one system to another. Th e temporal persistence of a given energy landscape, that is, the way in whi ch energy fluctuations (high or low) decay toward the thermal mean, depends on the dynamical features of the system. We discuss the spatial and tempor al characteristics of spontaneous energy localization in 1D anharmonic chai ns in thermal equilibrium. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-9 606(99)51628-0].