Heat conduction in a one-dimensional chain of equivalent rigid particles in the field of the external on-site potential is considered. The zero diameters of the particles correspond to the integrable case with the divergent heat conduction coefficient. By means of a simple analytical model it is demonstrated that for any nonzero particle size the integrability is violated and the heat conduction coefficient converges. The result of the analytical computation is verified by means of numerical simulation in a plausible diapason of parameters, and good agreement is observed.

• Received 6 October 2003

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.92.074301