Linear and anomalous front propagation in system with non Gaussian diffusion: the importance of tails

Abstract

We investigate front propagation in systems with diffusive and sub-diffusive behavior. The scaling behavior of moments of the diffusive problem, both in the standard and in the anomalous cases, is not enough to determine the features of the reactive front. In fact, the shape of the bulk of the probability distribution of the transport process, which determines the diffusive properties, is important just for pre-asymptotic behavior of front propagation, while the precise shape of the tails of the probability distribution determines asymptotic behavior of front propagation.