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In the classical Brownian motion, the probability density function of finding a given particle in $x$ at time $t$, given that it is at $y$ can be expressed as:

$$p(t,x,y)=\frac{1}{2\pi \sigma^{2} t} e^{- \frac{|x-y|^{2}}{2\sigma^{2}t}}.$$

This expression assume an infinite two-dimensional space.

I was wondering whether there exists the corresponding probability density function for the case of a confined geometry, let's say a disk of radius R or other simple confined geometries such as a square or rectangle. The problem would be 'What is the $p(t,x,y)$
if a particle is constrained within a circle with reflecting boundaries?'

I have just discovered a couple of papers in which they have solved this problem and provided the probability density function, in terms of polar coordinates: Eq. 27 in https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphy.2020.583202/full and Eq. 9 in 'A note to on confined diffusion' by Bickel, 2007.

As written in Mortensen et al., 2021 Eq. 27 "For the case of Brownian motion confined to a 2D disc, the solution to the diffusion Fokker–Planck equation for the conditional probability density for the particle’s position ${\bf r}$ at time $t$, given it was ${\bf r_0}$ at time $t=0$, is, with closed boundary conditions at $r$=$a$,"

$$p({\bf r},t|{\bf r_0},t_0)=\frac{1}{\pi a^{2}} + \frac{1}{\pi a^{2}} \sum_{l=-\infty}^\infty cos[l(\phi-\phi_0)] \sum_{m=1}^\infty \frac{\alpha_{lm}^2}{\alpha_{lm}^2 -l^2} e^{-\alpha_{lm}^2\frac{t}{\tau}} \frac{J_l(\alpha_{lm}\frac{r}{a})J_l(\alpha_{lm}\frac{r_0}{a})}{J_l(\alpha_{lm})^2}.$$

"where $\tau=a^2/D$ and $\alpha_{lm}$ > 0 is the $m$th positive root, $J′(\alpha_{lm})=0$, of the derivative of the Bessel function of the first kind of order $l$, $J_l$. The zeros are arranged in ascending order of magnitude: $0<\alpha_{l1}<\alpha_{l2}<....$"

Note that the particle's position is expressed in polar coordinates as ${\bf r}={\bf r}(r,\phi)$ with $0≤r<a$ and $0≤\phi<2\pi$.

It is however unclear to me what some of the parameters of the equation mean. I know that $a$ is the radius of the disc, $\phi$ and $\phi_0$ are defined in the polar coordinates, $D$ is the diffusion coefficient, but I do not understand how to compute $\alpha_{lm}$. Here it says that it is the "the $m$th positive root, $J′(\alpha_{lm})=0$, of the derivative of the Bessel function of the first kind of order $l$, but I do not understand what this means.

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  • $\begingroup$ What you are looking for is the fundamental solution of the heat equation with Neumann boundary conditions on whatever domain you are working on. Depending on the region, this may have a nice closed form solution and may not. On the disk, you can solve for this by separation of variables in polar coordinates, for example. $\endgroup$ Commented Jan 5, 2022 at 20:16
  • $\begingroup$ Ok, Thanks. Would you be able to direct me to some studies on this? $\endgroup$ Commented Jan 5, 2022 at 20:31
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    $\begingroup$ From your information, to compute $\alpha_{lm}$ you should: 1) Derivate the Bessel function of first kind and order l (check e.g. wikipedia to see the meaning of the order of a Bessel function). By this means, you would obtain the function $J'$. 2) Solve $J'(x)=0$ and order the solutions with increasing magnitude $x_1<x_2<x_3<x_4<..$ . 3) $\alpha_{lm}=x_m$. I am not sure that $J'(x)$ or the solutions of $J'(x)=0$ have analytical closed forms though. $\endgroup$
    – Javi
    Commented Jan 6, 2022 at 15:30
  • $\begingroup$ Ok, I think I have understood. $alpha_lm$ will be the solutions of ${J^'(x)}=0$, and $m$ refers to the increasing index, once the solutions have been arranged in ascending order of magnitude. Correct? $\endgroup$ Commented Jan 6, 2022 at 16:39
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    $\begingroup$ @CafféSospeso . The 2D disk case looks quite complicated. Just as a backup I recommend to keep in mind the much simpler one-dimensional solutions. See for example this answer. The solution for a finite interval is an infinite series. Let me know if you need to find it. $\endgroup$
    – Kurt G.
    Commented Jan 6, 2022 at 16:50

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