Condensation in zero-range processes with a fast rate

Abstract

We introduce a simple zero-range process with constant rates and one fast rate for a particular occupation number, which diverges with the system size. Surprisingly, this minor modification induces a condensation transition in the thermodynamic limit, where the structure of the condensed phase depends on the scaling of the fast rate. We study this transition and its dependence on system parameters in detail on a rigorous level using size-biased sampling. This approach generalizes to any particle system with stationary product measures, and the techniques used in this paper provide a foundation for a more systematic understanding of condensing models with a non-trivial condensed phase.