Quadratic and rate-independent limits for a large-deviations functional

We construct a stochastic model showing the relationship between noise, gradient flows and rate-independent systems. The model consists of a one-dimensional birth–death process on a lattice, with rates derived from Kramers’ law as an approximation of a Brownian motion on a wiggly energy landscape. Taking various limits, we show how to obtain a whole family of generalized gradient flows, ranging from quadratic to rate-independent ones, connected via ‘L log L’ gradient flows. This is achieved via Mosco-convergence of the renormalized large-deviations rate functional of the stochastic process. Keywords: Large deviations Gamma convergence Gradient flows Markov chains Rate-independent system