Dynamic percolation transition induced by phase separation: A Monte Carlo analysis

The percolation transition of geometric clusters in the three-dimensional, simple cubic, nearest neighbor Ising lattice gas model is investigated in the temperature and concentration region inside the coexistence curve. We consider quenching experiments, where the system starts from an initially completely random configuration (corresponding to equilibrium at infinite temperature), letting the system evolve at the considered temperature according to the Kawasaki spinexchange dynamics. Analyzing the distributionn _l(t) of clusters of sizel at timet, we find that after a time of the order of about 100 Monte Carlo steps per site a percolation transition occurs at a concentration distinctly lower than the percolation concentration of the initial random state. This dynamic percolation transition is analyzed with finite-size scaling methods. While at zero temperature, where the system settles down at a frozen-in cluster distribution and further phase separation stops, the critical exponents associated with this percolation transition are consistent with the universality class of random percolation, the critical behavior of the transient time-dependent percolation occurring at nonzero temperature possibly belongs to a different, new universality class.     

The effects of colored quadratic noise on a turbulent transition in liquid4He

Liquid⁴He presents an important physical system for the experimental study of noise-induced dynamical transitions. At temperatures belowT in the He II phase, the flow of heat in the liquid helium is limited by a kind of superfluid turbulence. The steady-state properties of this turbulence are adequately described by a dense tangle of quantized vortex lines in the superfluid component of the He II. The turbulence undergoes a continuous transition as the heat current is increased. At this transition the intrinsic fluctuations in the dissipation and the relaxation time both become large [D. Griswold, C. P. Lorenson, and J. T. Tough,Phys. Rev. B 35:3149 (1987)]. These observations are consistent with a model of the transition as an imperfect pitchfork bifurcation [M. Schumaker and W. Horsthemke,Phys. Rev. A 36:354 (1987)]. External noise can be easily added to the driving heat current. Small-amplitude noise simply causes the system to fluctuate about the deterministic steady states. Large-amplitude noise causes dramatic changes. The stochastic steady states of the turbulence show noise-induced bistability [D. Grisowld and J. T. Tough,Phys. Rev. A 36:1360 (1987)]. Comparison with the imperfect pitchfork model is difficult because the noise is colored, quadratic, and large. Nevertheless, an approximate result obtained by Schumaker and Horsthemke is in good qualitative agreement with the data.This paper will appear in a forthcoming issue of theJournal of Statistical Physics.     

Vortex phase transitions in 21/2 dimensions

A phase diagram is mapped out for a 21/2-dimensional vortex lattice model in which vortex filaments lie in a plane, while both the velocity field and the Green function are three-dimensional. Both positive and negative temperatures are considered. Various qualitative properties of turbulent states and of the super-fluid transition are well verified within the limitations of the model; the percolation properties of vortex transitions are exhibited; the differences between superfluid and classical vortex motion are highlighted, as is the importance of topological constraints in vortex dynamics; an earlier model of intermittency is verified.     

Percolation analysis of stochastic models of galactic evolution

The stochastic star formation model of galactic evolution can be cast as a problem of directed percolation, the time dimension being that along which the directed bonds exist. We study various aspects of this percolation, those of general interest for the percolation phase transition and those of particular importance for the astrophysical application. Both analytical calculations and computer simulations are provided and the results compared. Among the properties are: value of the percolation threshold, critical indices, percolation probability (star density) near and away from the critical point, local density, cluster sizes, effects of rotation (for disk galaxy models) on the percolation threshold. Astrophysical consequences of some of these properties are discussed, in particular the way in which general phase transition behavior contributes to spiral arm morphology. We look at 1 (space) + 1 (time), 2 + 1 and + 1 dimensions, the 2 + 1 case being of interest for disk galaxies.     

Classical and quantum regimes of superfluid turbulence

We argue that turbulence in superfluids is governed by two dimensionless parameters. One of them is the intrinsic parameter q which characterizes the friction forces acting on a vortex moving with respect to the heat bath, with q^?1 playing the same role as the Reynolds number Re=UR/ν in classical hydrodynamics. It marks the transition between the “laminar” and turbulent regimes of vortex dynamics. The developed turbulence described by Kolmogorov cascade occurs when Re?1 in classical hydrodynamics, and q?1 in superfluid hydrodynamics. Another parameter of superfluid turbulence is the superfluid Reynolds number Re_s=UR/κ, which contains the circulation quantum κ characterizing quantized vorticity in superfluids. This parameter may regulate the crossover or transition between two classes of superfluid turbulence: (i) the classical regime of Kolmogorov cascade where vortices are locally polarized and the quantization of vorticity is not important; (ii) the quantum Vinen turbulence whose properties are determined by the quantization of vorticity. A phase diagram of the dynamical vortex states is suggested.     

Cluster Structure of Collapsing Polymers

In order to better understand the geometry of the polymer collapse transition, we study the distribution of geometric clusters made up of the nearest neighbor interactions of an interacting self-avoiding walk. We argue for this new correlated percolation problem that in two dimensions, and possibly also in three dimensions, a percolation transition takes place at a temperature lower than the collapse transition. Hence this novel transition should be governed by exponents unrelated to the -point exponents. This also implies that there is a temperature range in which the polymer has collapsed, but has no long-range cluster structure. We use Monte Carlo to study the distribution of clusters on the simple cubic and Manhattan lattices. On the Manhattan lattice, where the data are most convincing, we find that the percolation transition occurs at _p =1.461(3), while the collapse transition is known to occur exactly at =1.414.... We propose a finite-size scaling form for the cluster distribution and estimate several of the critical exponents. Regardless of the value of _p , this percolation problem sheds new light on polymer collapse.     

Self-avoiding walks on percolation clusters at criticality and lattice animals

We use the real-space renormalization group method to study the critical behavior of self-avoiding walks (SAWs) on both site percolation clusters at percolation threshold and site lattice animals in a square lattice. The correlation length exponents of SAWs are found to be on the percolation clusters atp _c and _SAW ^LA =0.804 on lattice animals. These results are compared with Kremer's suggestion of modified Flory formula where is the fractal dimension of the fractal object.     

Equilibrium statistics of a vortex filament with applications

The thermodynamic functions and scaling exponents (including the Kolmogorov and Flory exponents) of a vortex filament in thermal equilibrium are calculated, giving a quantitative content to earlier qualitative analyses. The numerical results uncover a percolation property of vortex filaments near the maximum entropy state. The implications of the results for the onset of turbulence, for the structure of its inertial range, and for superfluid vortices are discussed. In particular, it is shown that vortex stretching pushes a vortex system to a polymeric state and a Kolmogorov spectrum.This work was supported in part by the Applied Mathematical Sciences subprogram of the Office of Energy Research, U.S. Department of Energy, under contract DE-AC03-76SF-00098, and in part by the National Science Foundation under grant number DMS89-19074     

Infinite-range mean-field percolation: Transfer matrix study of longitudinal correlation length

Two infinite-range directed percolation models, equivalent also to epidemic models, are considered for a finite population (finite number of sites)N at each time (directed axis) step. The general features of the transfer matrix spectrum (evolution operator spectrum for the epidemic) are studied numerically, and compared with analytical predictions in the limitN = . One of the models is devised to allow numerical results to be obtained forN as high as nearly 800 for the largest longitudinal percolation correlation length (relaxation time for epidemic). The finite-N behavior of this correlation length is studied in detail, including scaling near the percolation transition, exponential divergence (withN) above the percolation transition, as well as other noncritical and critical-point properties.     

The potts model on bethe lattices

We analyze the properties of theq-state ferromagnetic Potts model for realq. The nature of the phase transition at the critical point is first-order forq2, and second-order forq=2. The random-bond percolation limitq1, and its second-order-like transition, are not related to the previous behaviour since they arise from non-stable phases of the system. It is suggested that this property characterizes the model on high-dimensional lattices, too.Supported by MPI and CNR     

Torsion,string tension,and topological origin of charge and mass

We consider the analogy between torsion line defects and vortex lines in a superconductor to suggest that the electric charge and masses of elementary particles may have a geometrical origin. Just as the field vanishes everywhere in a superconductor except along the vortex line, where the flux is confined, we have the torsion being concentrated only along the topological defects, giving rise to charge as well as mass. The mass is related to the string tension (c ²/G) and charge is connected with the gravitational permeability (G/c ²), both induced by torsion.     

Backbends in Directed Percolation

When directed percolation in a bond percolation process does not occur, any path to infinity on the open bonds will zigzag back and forth through the lattice. Backbends are the portions of the zigzags that go against the percolation direction. They are important in the physical problem of particle transport in random media in the presence of a field, as they act to limit particle flow through the medium. The critical probability for percolation along directed paths with backbends no longer than a given length n is defined as p _n. We prove that (p _n) is strictly decreasing and converges to the critical probability for undirected percolation p _c. We also investigate some variants of the basic model, such as by replacing the standard d-dimensional cubic lattice with a (d–1)-dimensional slab or with a Bethe lattice; and we discuss the mathematical consequences of alternative ways to formalize the physical concepts of percolation and backbend.     

A finite fractal cluster theory of 1/f noise in percolation systems near metal-insulator transition

The problem of 1/f noise in thin metal films and metal-insulator composites in the scaling fractal regime near percolation threshold is considered. The correspondence between a percolation transition and a second order phase transition is extended from the point of view of electronic polarization and electrical fluctuations. The charge fluctuations on finite fractal clusters are argued to be analogous to spontaneous order parameter fluctuations in phase transitions, being correlated upto percolation correlation length. The charge relaxation times are shown to be related to the cluster sizes having distribution function of the formg()^–b , whereb is connected to Euclidean and fractal dimensionalities and critical exponents. This produces the 1/f noise spectrum. Below percolation threshold, the nodes-links-blobs picture is invoked such that the blobs represent metallic conductances of the finite clusters and the links are tunnelling conductances between them through narrowest barrier regions. Above threshold, the finite cluster network is visualized as connected to the infinite cluster through narrowest tunnelling regions. The correlated spontaneous charge fluctuation on finite fractal clusters is held responsible for conductance fluctuation on either side of the metal-insulator transition via tunnelling processes. Finally, the scaling behaviour of noise magnitude near percolation threshold is explained.     

Semi-infinite Potts model and percolation at surfaces

The effects of surfaces on percolation are investigated near the bulk percolation threshold ind=6– dimensions. Using field-theoretic methods, this is done within the framework of a semi-infinite continuousq-state Potts model withq1. Renormalization-group equations are obtained which imply that the usual scaling laws for surface and bulk exponents are valid to all orders in , and the surface exponents at the ordinary and special transition are computed to order . Our result for ₁ ^ord is in conformity with the one by Carton.     

Adsorbing and Collapsing Directed Animals

A model of a self-interacting directed animal, which also interacts with a solid wall, is studied as a model of a directed branched polymer which can undergo both a collapse and an adsorption transition. The directed animal is confined to a 45° wedge, and it interacts with one of the walls of this wedge. The existence of a thermodynamic limit in this model shown, and the presence of an adsorption transition is demonstrated by using constructive techniques. By comparing this model to a process of directed percolation, we show that there is also a collapse or -transition in this model. We examine directed percolation in a wedge to show that there is a collapse phase present for arbitrary large values of the adsorption activity. The generating function of adsorbing directed animals in a half-space is found next from which we find the tricritical exponents associated with the adsorption transition. A full solution for a collapsing directed animal seems intractible, so instead we examine the collapse transition of a model of column convex directed animals with a contact activity next.     

Boundary critical behavior ofd=2 self-avoiding walks on correlated and uncorrelated vacancies

In this paper we present exact results for the critical exponents of interacting self-avoiding walks with ends at a linear boundary. Effective interactions are mediated by vacancies, correlated and uncorrelated, on the dual lattice. By choosing different boundary conditions, several ordinary and special regimes can be described in terms of clusters geometry and of critical and lowtemperature properties of the model. In particular, the problem of boundary exponents at the -point is fully solved, and implications for-point universality are discussed. The surface crossover exponent at the special transition of noninteracting self-avoiding walks is also interpreted in terms of percolation dimensions.     

Slab Percolation and Phase Transitions for the Ising Model

We prove, using the random-cluster model, a strict inequality between site percolation and magnetization in the region of phase transition for the d-dimensional Ising model, thus improving a result of [5]. We extend this result also at the case of two plane lattices (slabs) and give a characterization of phase transition in this case. The general case of N slabs, with N an arbitrary positive integer, is partially solved and it is used to show that this characterization holds in the case of three slabs with periodic boundary conditions. AMS classification: 60K35, 82B20, 82A25     

Renormalized Field Theory of Resistor Diode Percolation

We study resistor diode percolation at the transition from the non-percolating to the directed percolating phase. We derive a field theoretic Hamiltonian which describes not only geometric aspects of directed percolation clusters but also their electric transport properties. By employing renormalization group methods we determine the average two-port resistance of critical clusters, which is governed by a resistance exponent . We calculate to two-loop order.     

Kinetic growth walk on critical percolation clusters and lattice animals

The statistics of recently proposed kinetic growth walk (KGW) model for linear polymers (or growing self avoiding walk (GSAW)) on two dimensional critical percolation clusters and lattice animals are studied using real-space renormalization group method. The correlation length exponents 's are found to be _KGW ^Pc = 0.68 and _KGW ^LA respectively for the critical percolation clusters and lattice animals. Close agreements are found between these results and a generalized Flory formula for linear polymers at theta point _KGW ^F = 2/ +1),, where is the fractal dimension of the fractal objectF.     

Polymers and random graphs: Asymptotic equivalence to branching processes

In 1974, Falk and Thomas did a computer simulation of Flory's Equireactive RA _f Polymer model, rings forbidden and rings allowed. Asymptotically, the Rings Forbidden model tended to Stockmayer's RA _f distribution (in which the sol distribution sticks after gelation), while the Rings Allowed model tended to the Flory version of the RA _f distribution. In 1965, Whittle introduced the Tree and Pseudomultigraph models. We show that these random graphs generalize the Falk and Thomas models by incorporating first-shell substitution effects. Moreover, asymptotically the Tree model displays postgelation sticking. Hence this phenomenon results from the absence of rings and occurs independently of equireactivity. We also show that the Pseudomultigraph model is asymptotically identical to the Branching Process model introduced by Gordon in 1962. This provides a possible basis for the Branching Process model in standard statistical mechanics.