No label defined (Q4035336)

[For the entire collection see Zbl 0752.00058.] We review recent results related to the approximation of the Burgers equation using the totally asymmetric simple exclusion process. The goal is to show the existence of shocks at a microscopic level. First we discuss the graphical representation of the process and coupling, techniques which are used to describe the set of invariant measures for the process. We then obtain law of large numbers and central limit theorems for the shock. Some related cellular automata are reviewed. After this work, relevant progress has been made. \textit{P. A. Ferrari} and \textit{L. R. Fontes} [Shock fluctuations in the asymmetric simple exclusion process, subm. to Probab. Theory Relat. Fields] computed the diffusion coefficient of the shock. From this they have shown that in the scale \(\sqrt t\) the position of the shock at time \(t\) is determined by the initial distribution of particles in a region of length proportional to \(t\). Furthermore the distribution of the process at the average position of the shock converges to a fair mixture of the product measures with the left and right densities of the shock, respectively. On the other hand, \textit{B. Derrida}, \textit{S. Janowsky}, \textit{S. Lebowitz} and \textit{E. Speer} [Exact solution of the totally asymmetric simple exclusion process: shock profiles. J. Stat. Phys. (to appear)] described exactly the invariant distribution as seen from the shock.