On the stochastic behaviors of locally confined particle systems.

We investigate a class of Hamiltonian particle systems and their stochastic behaviors. Using both rigorous proof and numerical simulations, we show that the geometric configuration can qualitatively change key statistical characteristics of the particle system, which are expected to be retained by stochastic modifications. In particular, whether a particle system has an exponential mixing rate or a polynomial mixing rate depends on whether the geometric setting allows a slow particle being reached by adjacent fast particles.