MIXING TIMES FOR THE TASEP IN THE MAXIMAL CURRENT PHASE

We study mixing times for the totally asymmetric simple exclusion process (TASEP) on a segment of size N with open boundaries. We focus on the maximal current phase and prove that the mixing time is of order N3/2, up to logarithmic corrections. In the triple point, where the TASEP with open boundaries approaches the Uniform distribution on the state space, we show that the mixing time is precisely of order N3/2. This is conjectured to be the correct order of the mixing time for a wide range of particle systems with maximal current. Our arguments rely on a connection to last passage percolation and recent results on moderate deviations of last passage times.

Automated summary

We study the mixing times of the TASEP with open boundaries on a segment of size N. We prove that the mixing time is of order N3/2 in the maximal current phase, with logarithmic corrections. We also show that at the triple point, where the TASEP with open boundaries approaches the Uniform distribution, the mixing time is precisely of order N3/2. These findings have implications for a wide range of particle systems with maximal current.