We study the similarities and differences between different models concerning subdiffusion. More particularly, we calculate first passage time (FPT) distributions for subdiffusion, derived from Greens’ functions of nonlinear equations obtained from Sharma-Mittal's, Tsallis's, and Gauss's nonadditive entropies. Then we compare these with FPT distributions calculated from a fractional model using a subdiffusion equation with a fractional time derivative. All of Greens’ functions give us exactly the same standard relation $\langle {\left(\Delta x\right)}^2\rangle =2D_{\alpha }{t}^{\alpha }$ which characterizes subdiffusion ($0<\alpha <1$), but generally FPT distributions are not equivalent to one another. We will show here that the FPT distribution for the fractional model is asymptotically equal to the Sharma-Mittal model over the long time limit only if in the latter case one of the three parameters describing Sharma-Mittal entropy $r$ depends on $\alpha$, and satisfies the specific equation derived in this paper, whereas the other two models mentioned above give different FPT distributions with the fractional model. Greens’ functions obtained from the Sharma-Mittal and fractional models, for $r$ obtained from this particular equation, are very similar to each other. We will also discuss the interpretation of subdiffusion models based on nonadditive entropies and the possibilities of the experimental measurement of subdiffusion models’ parameters.

• Received 14 May 2012

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.86.021108