The random-cluster model on the complete graph

Summary The random-cluster model of Fortuin and Kasteleyn contains as special cases the percolation, Ising, and Potts models of statistical physics. When the underlying graph is the complete graph onn vertices, then the associated processes are called mean-field. In this study of the mean-field random-cluster model with parametersp=/n andq, we show that its properties for any value ofq(0, ) may be derived from those of an Erds-Rényi random graph. In this way we calculate the critical point_c(q) of the model, and show that the associated phase transition is continuous if and only ifq2. Exact formulae are given for_C(q), the density of the largest component, the density of edges of the model, and the free energy. This work generalizes earlier results valid for the Potts model, whereq is an integer satisfyingq2. Equivalent results are obtained for a fixed edge-number random-cluster model. As a consequence of the results of this paper, one obtains large-deviation theorems for the number of components in the classical random-graph models (whereq=1).