Depinning asymptotics in ergodic media

Abstract

We study speeds of fronts in bistable, spatially inhomogeneous media at parameter regimes where speeds approach zero. We provide a set of conceptual assumptions under which we can prove power-law asymptotics for the speed, with exponent depending a local dimension of the ergodic measure near extremal values. We also show that our conceptual assumptions are satisfied in a context of weak inhomogeneity of the medium and almost balanced kinetics, and compare asymptotics with numerical simulations.