Slow manifold reduction of a stochastic chemical reaction: exploring Keizer's paradox (Q449275)

The authors consider the so-called Keizer's paradox appearing in chemical chemistry when deterministic and stochastic descriptions of chemical reactions seem to predict very different large time behaviors. In fact they observe that within certain parameter ranges, there is a separation of time scales: a fast one on which the stochastic process approaches rapidly a quasistationary distribution close to the steady state concentration predicted by the deterministic model and a slow one on which extinction occurs. Indeed, using slow manifold dynamics, they estimate the extinction time which grows exponentially with the size of the system.