Sub-exponential mixing of open systems with particle-disk interactions

Abstract

We consider a class of mechanical particle systems with deterministic particle-disk interactions coupled to Gibbs heat reservoirs at possibly different temperatures. We show that there exists a unique (non-equilibrium) steady state. This steady state is mixing, but not exponentially mixing, and all initial distributions converge to it. In addition, for a class of initial distributions, the rates of converge to the steady state are sub-exponential.