Multistable systems with moderate noise: Coarse-graining to a Markovian jump process and evaluation of the transition rates (Q1117597)

Autonomous dynamical systems with several stable states and with moderate noise are shown to be well approximated by a Markovian jump process. A feasible calculation of the jumping rates is outlined; for some important classes of systems it reduces to an eigenvalue problem. Multiple jumps are admitted. The validity of the method is easily checked.