Connection between recurrence-time statistics and anomalous transport

Abstract

For a model stationary flow with hexagonal symmetry, we study the recurrence-time statistics. This model flow has been shown elsewhere to provide a sharp transition from normal to anomalous transport. We show here that this transition from normal to anomalous transport is accompanied by a corresponding change of the recurrence-time statistics from ‘‘normal’’ to ‘‘anomalous.’’ In the anomalous case the distribution of recurrence times has a power tail. Recurrence-time statistics provide a local measurement to make evident the existence of anomalous transport.