Optimal transition path time of run-and-tumble particles with stochastic resetting
Phys. Rev. E 114, 024120 – Published 11 August, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/xy11-ztd3
Abstract
We present a semianalytical method based on the backward master equation to find the optimal transition path time (TPT) of self-propelled run-and-tumble particles (RTPs) under stochastic resetting. The particle moves in a one-dimensional transition region with two absorbing boundaries. It resets at rate to position . Upon each resetting event, the particle either reverses its velocity direction with probability or retains it with probability . From the backward master equation we derive exact analytical results for the splitting probability, the mean TPT, and the coefficient of variation () of the TPT distribution. A semianalytical solution for the optimal TPT is also obtained. The mean TPT depends nonmonotonically on , and , reaching a minimum at optimal parameter values. For large transition regions, resetting the particle to its initial position can accelerate escape compared with reset-free dynamics. In the strong-resetting limit for when , the probabilistic reversal upon resetting effectively replaces natural tumbling. The asymptotic TPT then becomes independent of the tumbling rate and reduces to the ballistic traversal time . A speed-reliability trade-off emerges: the parameters that minimize the mean TPT do not generally minimize the . Efficient search requires balancing a short mean TPT against high predictability.