The universal Airy1 and Airy2 processes in the totally asymmetric simple exclusion process

Abstract

In the totally asymmetric simple exclusion process (TASEP) two processes arise in the large time limit: the Airy1 and Airy2 processes. The Airy2 process is an universal limit process occurring also in other models: in a stochastic growth model on 1 + 1-dimensions, 2d last passage percolation, equilibrium crystals, and in random matrix diffusion. The Airy1 and Airy2 processes are defined and discussed in the context of the TASEP. We also explain a geometric representation of the TASEP from which the connection to growth models and directed last passage percolation is immediate.