Emergent spin

Quantum mechanics and relativity in the continuum imply the well known spin–statistics connection. However for particles hopping on a lattice, there is no such constraint. If a lattice model yields a relativistic field theory in a continuum limit, this constraint must “emerge” for physical excitations. We discuss a few models where a spin-less fermion hopping on a lattice gives excitations which satisfy the continuum Dirac equation. This includes such well known systems such as graphene and staggered fermions.     

Long Time Behavior of the Continuum Limit¶of the Toda Lattice, and the Generation¶of Infinitely Many Gaps from C∞ Initial Data

We analyze a continuum limit of the finite non-periodic Toda lattice through an associated constrained maximization problem over spectral density functions. The maximization problem was derived by Deift and McLaughlin using the Lax–Levermore approach, initially developed for the zero dispersion limit of the KdV equation. It encodes the evolution of the continuum limit for all times, including evolution through shocks. The formation of gaps in the support of the maximizer is indicative of oscillations in the Toda lattice and the lack of strong convergence of the continuum limit. For large times, the maximizer tends to have zero gaps, which is the continuum analogue of the sorting property of the finite lattice. Using methods from logarithmic potential theory, we show that this behavior depends crucially on the initial data. We exhibit initial data for which the zero gap ansatz holds uniformly in the spatial parameter (at large times), and other initial data for which this uniformity fails at all times. We then construct an example of C ^∞ smooth initial data generating, at a later time, infinitely many gaps in the support of the maximizer, while for even larger times, all gaps have closed. Received: 8 May 2000 / Accepted: 27 March 2001     

YM2:Continuum expectations,lattice convergence,and lassos

The two dimensional Yang-Mills theory (YM₂) is analyzed in both the continuum and the lattice. In the complete axial gauge the continuum theory may be defined in terms of a Lie algebra valued white noise, and parallel translation may be defined by stochastic differential equations. This machinery is used to compute the expectations of gauge invariant functions of the parallel translation operators along a collection of curvesC. The expectation values are expressed as finite dimensional integrals with densities that are products of the heat kernel on the structure group. The time parameters of the heat kernels are determined by the areas enclosed by the collectionC, and the arguments are determined by the crossing topologies of the curves inC. The expectations for the Wilson lattice models have a similar structure, and from this it follows that in the limit of small lattice spacing the lattice expectations converge to the continuum expectations. It is also shown that the lasso variables advocated by L. Gross [36] exist and are sufficient to generate all the measurable functions on the YM₂-measure space.     

The transition from the lattice to the continuum: CPN−1 models at large N

We study in detail the large N solution for the CP^N?1 models on a euclidean lattice and their phase structure in D dimensions. In the two-dimensional case, we evaluate some physical quantities and discuss their behaviour in the continuum limit. In particular, for the internal energy, we found the analytic expression for the perturbative tail which, at large β, obscures the predicted renormalization group behaviour; such a tail, which, as we show, is reproduced by a mean field calculation at N=∞, must be subtracted in order to define a suitable scaling quantity. We also investigated the behaviour of the topological charge and we found no perturbative tail in agreement with previous Lüscher's results. Finally, some aspects of the supersymmetric case are discussed.     

Inequalities for higher order Ising spins and for continuum fluids

The recently derived Fortuin, Kasteleyn and Ginibre (FKG) inequalities for lattice gasses are investigated for higher order Ising spin systems and multi-component lattice gasses. Conditions are given for the validity of the FKG inequalities for higher order spin systems with Hamiltonians of the form used recently as models for various physical systems, e.g.He ³–He ⁴ mixtures. We also investigate various inequalities for binary lattice gases and show how these can be carried over to continuum systems.Supported in part by U.S.A.F.O.S.R. # F 44620-71-C-0013.N.S.F. Graduate Trainee.     

Extended Scaling Relations for Planar Lattice Models

It is widely believed that the critical properties of several planar lattice systems, like the Eight Vertex or the Ashkin-Teller models, are well described by an effective continuum fermionic theory obtained as a formal scaling limit. On the basis of this assumption several extended scaling relations among their indices were conjectured. We prove the validity of some of them, among which the ones predicted by Kadanoff (Phys Rev Lett 39:903–905, 1977) and by Luther and Peschel (Phys Rev B 12:3908–3917, 1975).     

Non-perturbative renormalization-group approach to lattice models

The non-perturbative renormalization-group approach is extended to lattice models, considering as an example a φ⁴ theory defined on a d-dimensional hypercubic lattice. Within a simple approximation for the effective action, we solve the flow equations and obtain the renormalized dispersion epsilon(q) over the whole Brillouin zone of the reciprocal lattice. In the long-distance limit, where the lattice does not matter any more, we reproduce the usual flow equations of the continuum model. We show how the numerical solution of the flow equations can be simplified by expanding the dispersion in a finite number of circular harmonics.     

TheO(3) non-linear σ-model on a 2 dimensional random lattice

TheO(3) σ-model on a 2-dimensional random lattice is studied numerically. The comparison of the continuum behaviors of the model on both random and regular lattices is carried out. It is shown that both lattices have the same continuum limit of the model, and the random lattice seems not to have the advantage of the wider scaling window compared to the same sized regular square lattice.     

Monopoles in gluodynamics and blocking from continuum to lattice

We review the method of blocking of topological defects from continuum to lattice as a nonperturbative tool to construct effective actions for these defects. The actions are formulated in the continuum limit, while the couplings of these actions can be derived from simple observables calculated numerically on lattices with a finite lattice spacing. We demonstrate the success of the method in deriving the effective actions for Abelian monopoles in the pure SU(2) gauge models in an Abelian gauge. In particular, we discuss the gluodynamics in three and four spacetime dimensions at zero and nonzero temperatures. Besides the action, the quantities of our interest are the monopole density, the magnetic Debye mass, and the monopole condensate.     

Solution of the Cauchy problem for a continuous limit of the Toda lattice and its superextension

A supersymmetric equation associated with a continuum limit of the classical superalgebra sl(n/n+1) is constructed. This equation can be considered as a superextension of a continuous limit of t the Toda lattice with fixed end-points or, in other words, as a supersymmetric version of the heavenly equation. A solution of the Cauchy problem for the continuous limit of the Toda lattice and for its superextension is given using some formal reasonings.     

On homogenization and scaling limit of some gradient perturbations of a massless free field

We study the continuum scaling limit of some statistical mechanical models defined by convex Hamiltonians which are gradient perturbations of a massless free field. By proving a central limit theorem for these models, we show that their long distance behavior is identical to a new (homogenized) continuum massless free field. We shall also obtain some new bounds on the 2-point correlation functions of these models. This article was processed by the author using the LAT_EX style filepljour1 from Springer-Verlag.     

The Scaling Limit Geometry of Near-Critical 2D Percolation

We analyze the geometry of scaling limits of near-critical 2D percolation, i.e., for p = p _c+λδ^1/ν, with ν = 4/3, as the lattice spacing δ → 0. Our proposed framework extends previous analyses for p = p _c, based on SLE ₆. It combines the continuum nonsimple loop process describing the full scaling limit at criticality with a Poissonian process for marking double (touching) points of that (critical) loop process. The double points are exactly the continuum limits of “macroscopically pivotal” lattice sites and the marked ones are those that actually change state as λ varies. This structure is rich enough to yield a one-parameter family of near-critical loop processes and their associated connectivity probabilities as well as related processes describing, e.g., the scaling limit of 2D minimal spanning trees.     

On the branching structure of the tree of states in spin glasses

We review some known results on the nature of the tree of states in spin glasses and we present new results on its topology. We pay particular attention to the so-called continuum limit in which the levels are labeled by a continuous variablex. We also study the dependence on the levelx of the type of branching (bifurcation, trifurcation,...). We show that the statistics of the tree is universal in the continuum limit, i.e., it does not depend on the details of the algorithm used to generate the tree.     

Derivation of Maximum Entropy Principles in Two-Dimensional Turbulence via Large Deviations

The continuum limit of lattice models arising in two-dimensional turbulence is analyzed by means of the theory of large deviations. In particular, the Miller–Robert continuum model of equilibrium states in an ideal fluid and a modification of that model due to Turkington are examined in a unified framework, and the maximum entropy principles that govern these models are rigorously derived by a new method. In this method, a doubly indexed, measure-valued random process is introduced to represent the coarse-grained vorticity field. The natural large deviation principle for this process is established and is then used to derive the equilibrium conditions satisfied by the most probable macrostates in the continuum models. The physical implications of these results are discussed, and some modeling issues of importance to the theory of long-lived, large-scale coherent vortices in turbulent flows are clarified.     

Universality in Ising model gauge-field analogues

The lattice dependence of a class of gauge-invariant Ising models is investigated. Any lattice dependence would indicate that the lattice could not be regarded as irrelevent and that it would be incorrect to define gauge models on a lattice as a basis for investigating the continuum limit. The models investigated lie within the class of multispin Ising models which show a wide variety of lattice-dependent behaviour and so these models should provide a significant test of the importance of the gauge-invariance constraint. Two and three dimensional models are investigated and lattice independence is confirmed. This indicates that imposing gauge symmetries on lattice models can restrict the possible behaviour in such a way that lattice independent continuum limits can be defined.     

Two-Dimensional Critical Percolation: The Full Scaling Limit

We use SLE ₆ paths to construct a process of continuum nonsimple loops in the plane and prove that this process coincides with the full continuum scaling limit of 2D critical site percolation on the triangular lattice – that is, the scaling limit of the set of all interfaces between different clusters. Some properties of the loop process, including conformal invariance, are also proved.Research partially supported by a Marie Curie Intra-European Fellowship under contract MEIF-CT-2003-500740 and by a Veni grant of the Dutch Organization for Scientific Research (NWO).Research partially supported by the U.S. NSF under grant DMS-01-04278.     

The Length of an SLE—Monte Carlo Studies

The scaling limits of a variety of critical two-dimensional lattice models are equal to the Schramm–Loewner evolution (SLE) for a suitable value of the parameter κ. These lattice models have a natural parametrization of their random curves given by the length of the curve. This parametrization (with suitable scaling) should provide a natural parametrization for the curves in the scaling limit. We conjecture that this parametrization is also given by a type of fractal variation along the curve, and present Monte Carlo simulations to support this conjecture. Then we show by simulations that if this fractal variation is used to parametrize the SLE, then the parametrized curves have the same distribution as the curves in the scaling limit of the lattice models with their natural parametrization.