Weakly Non-Ergodic Statistical Physics

For weakly non ergodic systems, the probability density function of a time average observable is where is the value of the observable when the system is in state j=1,…L. p _j ^eq is the probability that a member of an ensemble of systems occupies state j in equilibrium. For a particle undergoing a fractional diffusion process in a binding force field, with thermal detailed balance conditions, p _j ^eq is Boltzmann’s canonical probability. Within the unbiased sub-diffusive continuous time random walk model, the exponent 0<α<1 is the anomalous diffusion exponent 〈x ²〉∼t ^α found for free boundary conditions. When α→1 ergodic statistical mechanics is recovered . We briefly discuss possible physical applications in single particle experiments.