Correlation functions in the Nagel-Schreckenberg model

Abstract

We investigate the effect of the jamming transition on short-range correlation functions in the Nagel-Schreckenberg cellular automaton model of single-lane traffic. At high densities the structure of the time-dependent correlation functions is double peaked. One peak corresponds to moving cars, the other to blocked cars. The emergence of the latter peak as well as the occurrence of short-range anticorrelations behind the propagating peak is related to the jamming transition. At even higher densities the peak corresponding to moving cars disappears which is an indication of a superjamming transition.