Integrability of a deterministic cellular automaton driven by stochastic boundaries

Abstract

We propose an interacting many-body space–time-discrete Markov chain model, which is composed of an integrable deterministic and reversible cellular automaton (rule 54 of Bobenko et al 1993 Commun. Math. Phys. 158 127) on a finite one-dimensional lattice , and local stochastic Markov chains at the two lattice boundaries which provide chemical baths for absorbing or emitting the solitons. Ergodicity and mixing of this many-body Markov chain is proven for generic values of bath parameters, implying the existence of a unique nonequilibrium steady state. The latter is constructed exactly and explicitly in terms of a particularly simple form of matrix product ansatz which is termed a patch ansatz. This gives rise to an explicit computation of observables and k-point correlations in the steady state as well as the construction of a nontrivial set of local conservation laws. The feasibility of an exact solution for the full spectrum and eigenvectors (decay modes) of the Markov matrix is suggested as well. We conjecture that our ideas can pave the road towards a theory of integrability of boundary driven classical deterministic lattice systems.