Broken ergodicity of right triangular billiard systems

Abstract

A right triangular billiard system is equivalent to the system of two colliding particles confined in a one-dimensional box. In spite of their seeming simplicity, no definite conclusion has been drawn so far concerning their ergodic properties. To answer this question, we transform the dynamics of the right triangular billiard system to a piecewise map and analytically prove the broken ergodicity. The mechanism leading to the broken ergodicity is discussed, and some numerical evidence corroborating our conclusion is provided.