Recursive structures in the multispecies TASEP

Abstract

We consider a multispecies generalization of the totally asymmetric simple exclusion process (TASEP) with the simple hopping rule: for the α and βth-class particles (α < β), the transition αβ → βα occurs with a rate independent from the values α and β. Ferrari and Martin (2007 Ann. Prob. 35 807) obtained the stationary state of this model thanks to a combinatorial algorithm, which was subsequently interpreted as a matrix product representation by Evans et al (2009 J. Stat. Phys. 135 217). This ‘matrix ansatz’ shows that the stationary state of the multispecies TASEP with N classes of particles (N-TASEP) can be constructed algebraically by the action of an operator on the (N − 1)-TASEP stationary state. Besides, Arita et al (2009 J. Phys. A. Math Theor. 45 345002) analyzed the spectral structure of the Markov matrix: they showed that the set of eigenvalues of the N-TASEP contains those of the (N − 1)-TASEP and that the various spectral inclusions can be encoded in a hierarchical set-theoretic structure known as the Hasse diagram. Inspired by these works, we define nontrivial operators that allow us to construct eigenvectors of the N-TASEP by lifting the eigenvectors of the (N − 1)-TASEP. This goal is achieved by generalizing the matrix product representation and the Ferrari–Martin algorithm. In particular, we show that the matrix ansatz is not only a convenient tool to write the stationary state but in fact intertwines Markov matrices of different values of N.