English

Density fluctuations and phase separation in a traffic flow model

Statistical Mechanics 2007-05-23 v1

Abstract

Within the Nagel-Schreckenberg traffic flow model we consider the transition from the free flow regime to the jammed regime. We introduce a method of analyzing the data which is based on the local density distribution. This analyzes allows us to determine the phase diagram and to examine the separation of the system into a coexisting free flow phase and a jammed phase above the transition. The investigation of the steady state structure factor yields that the decomposition in this phase coexistence regime is driven by density fluctuations, provided they exceed a critical wavelength.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.cond-mat/9801220,
  title  = {Density fluctuations and phase separation in a traffic flow model},
  author = {S. Lubeck and M. Schreckenberg and K. D. Usadel},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:cond-mat/9801220},
  year   = {2007}
}

Comments

in 'Traffic and Granular Flow 97', edited by D.E. Wolf and M. Schreckenberg, Springer, Singapore (1998)