Equilibrium Phase Transitions in Coupled Map Lattices: A Pedestrian Approach

A class of piecewise linear coupled map lattices with simple symbolic dynamics is constructed. It can be solved analytically in terms of the statistical mechanics of spin lattices. The corresponding Hamiltonian is written down explicitly in terms of the parameters of the map. The approach follows the line of recent mathematical investigations. But the presentation is kept elementary so that phase transitions in the dynamical model can be studied in detail. Although the method works only for map lattices with repelling invariant sets some of the conclusions, i.e., the role of local curvature of the single site map and properties of the nearest neighbour coupling might play an important role for phase transitions in general dynamical systems.