New Langevin Equations for a Translating and Simultaneously Rotating Asymmetric Top

Abstract

By the writing of the translational Langevin equation in a rotating frame of reference (1,2,3)′ and the rotational equation in the usual moving frame (1,2,3), it is shown that the statistical correlation between the angular and linear center-of-mass motion of a diffusing asymmetric top can be described naturally and in detail. Computer simulation is used to illustrate the symmetry class and time dependence of many new types of autocorrelation and cross-correlation functions suggested by the structure of these equations.