Non-equilibrium statistical mechanics of strongly anharmonic chains of oscillators. (Q1581653)

The authors study a strongly nonlinear chain of particles coupled to two heat baths at different temperatures. In contrast to previous analyses, the interparticle potentials are allowed to have an arbitrary polynomial growth at infinity. The main result is the existence and uniqueness of a stationary state at all temperatures, a result previously shown by \textit{J.--P. Eckmann, C.--A. Pillet} and \textit{L. Rey-Bellet} [Commun. Math. Phys. 201, 657--697 (1999; Zbl 0932.60101)] for less general potentials. This extension is possible by introducing a stronger version of Hörmander's theorem for Kolmogorov equations to vector fields with polynomially bounded coefficients on unbounded domains. Uniqueness is obtained under the condition that the coupling between the oscillators is stronger than the single-particle potential, and that the interparticle coupling is convex. These results are of special interest nowadays, when the analysis of unidimensional heat transport in chains and gases is receiving renovated and extensive attention.