Diffusion cascade in a model of interacting random walkers

Abstract

We consider the relaxation of finite-wavevector density waves in a facilitated classical lattice gas. Linear hydrodynamics predicts that such perturbations should relax exponentially, but nonlinear effects were predicted to cause subexponential relaxation via nonperturbative long-time tails. We present a detailed numerical study of this effect. While our results clearly indicate the importance of nonlinear effects, we find that the wavevector-dependence of the late-time relaxation is clearly inconsistent with theoretical predictions. We discuss manifestations of hydrodynamic nonlinearities in mesoscopic samples and at short times.