Time-Correlation functions for a one-dimensional polymer model.

As a simple model of a polymer we consider a series of vectors, situated in a sequence of planes perpendicular to a common axis. The vectors may rotate to these planes subject to a nearest neighbor interaction potential which has r stable states, circularly distributed. Transitions from well to well are the analogue of conformational transitions in polymers. The time correlation function for the conformational state is shown to decay as a single exponential function with a rate related to single and cooperative transition processes. Stimulation results for this model compare very well with the theory.