Non-Gaussian anomalous dynamics in systems of interacting run-and-tumble particles

Abstract

The motion of a tagged degree of freedom can give important insight into the interactions present in a complex environment. We investigate the dynamics of a tagged particle in two non-equilibrium systems that consist of interacting run-and-tumble particles. The first one is an exactly solvable polymer model, the second is a two-dimensional lattice model, which is studied through simulations. We find that in both cases a tagged particle shows anomalous dynamics and non-Gaussian behaviour for times below the persistence time of the run-and-tumble motion. For later times, the dynamics of the tagged monomer becomes diffusive. In the lattice model, the anomalous behaviour persists and can, for intermediate densities, be well approximated by a Laplace distribution. We attribute this behaviour to the dynamically changing environment of the tagged particle, which we argue, is an essential ingredient to observe deviations from Gaussianity.