Taming nonlinear energy diffusion: The case of time-crystal energy condensates

Abstract

We study a bulk-driven nonlinear variant of the Kipnis-Marchioro-Presutti model of stochastic energy diffusion in which local collisions are biased to induce a net energy flow, resembling the effect of an external field. Starting from the microscopic master equation, we derive the hydrodynamic description of the driven system via a local equilibrium approximation, obtaining explicit expressions for the energy current and the associated diffusivity and mobility transport coefficients, which are nonlinear functions of the local energy density. We test our findings in kinetic Monte Carlo simulations of the model and, as a proof of concept, we demonstrate the versatility of this driving mechanism to control nonlinear energy transport by inducing time-crystalline phases. In particular, we show that appropriately designed packing fields induce the spontaneous formation of traveling energy condensates, exhibiting robust long-range temporal order reminiscent of continuous time crystals. Our results provide a simple yet powerful framework to study bulk-driven nonlinear energy diffusion in stochastic many-body systems, offering a bridge between microscopic dynamics, macroscopic transport, and controlled spatiotemporal order.