On local behaviour of the phase separation line in the 2D Ising model

Summary. The aim of this note is to discuss some statistical properties of the phase separation line in the 2D low-temperature Ising model. We prove the functional central limit theorem for the probability distributions describing fluctuations of the phase boundary in the direction orthogonal to its orientation. The limiting Gaussian measure corresponds to a scaled Brownian bridge with direction dependent parameters. Up to the temperature factor, the variances of local increments of this limiting process are inversely proportional to the stiffness. Received: 6 June 1997/In revised form: 20 August 1997     

Freezing transition in the Ising model without internal contours

We consider the low temperature Ising model in a uniform magnetic field h > 0 with minus boundary conditions and conditioned on having no internal contours. This simple contour model defines a non-Gibbsian spin state. For large enough magnetic fields (h >: h _c ) this state is concentrated on the single spin configuration of all spins up. For smaller values (h≤h _c ), the spin state is non-trivial. At the critical point h _c ≠ 0 the magnetization jumps discontinuously. Freezing provides also an example of a translation invariant weakly Gibbsian state which is not almost Gibbsian. Received: 10 November 1998     

Large deviations for increasing sequences on the plane

We prove a large deviation principle with explicit rate functions for the length of the longest increasing sequence among Poisson points on the plane. The rate function for lower tail deviations is derived from a 1977 result of Logan and Shepp about Young diagrams of random permutations. For the upper tail we use a coupling with Hammersley's particle process and convex-analytic techniques. Along the way we obtain the rate function for the lower tail of a tagged particle in a totally asymmetric Hammersley's process. Received: 22 July 1997 / Revised version: 23 March 1998     

Surface order large deviations for Ising,Potts and percolation models

Summary We derive uniform surface order large deviation estimates for the block magnetization in finite volume Ising (or Potts) models with plus or free (or a combination of both) boundary conditions in the phase coexistence regime ford3. The results are valid up to a limit of slab-thresholds, conjectured to agree with the critical temperature. Our arguments are based on the renormalization of the random cluster model withq1 andd3, and on corresponding large deviation estimates for the occurrence in a box of a largest cluster with density close to the percolation probability. The results are new even for the case of independent percolation (q=1). As a byproduct of our methods, we obtain further results in the FK model concerning semicontinuity (inp andq) of the percolation probability, the second largest cluster in a box and the tail of the finite cluster size distribution.     

A central limit theorem for “critical” first-passage percolation in two dimensions

Summary. Consider (independent) first-passage percolation on the edges of ℤ ² . Denote the passage time of the edge e in ℤ ² by t(e), and assume that P{t(e) = 0} = 1/2, P{0<t(e)<C ₀ } = 0 for some constant C ₀ >0 and that E[t ^δ (e)]<∞ for some δ>4. Denote by b _0,n the passage time from 0 to the halfplane {(x,y): x ≧ n}, and by T( 0 ,nu) the passage time from 0 to the nearest lattice point to nu, for u a unit vector. We prove that there exist constants 0<C ₁ , C ₂ <∞ and γ _n such that C ₁ ( log n) ^1/2 ≦γ _n ≦ C ₂ ( log n) ^1/2 and such that γ _n ⁻¹ [b _0,n −Eb _0,n ] and (√ 2γ _n ) ⁻¹ [T( 0 ,nu) − ET( 0 ,nu)] converge in distribution to a standard normal variable (as n →∞, u fixed). A similar result holds for the site version of first-passage percolation on ℤ ² , when the common distribution of the passage times {t(v)} of the vertices satisfies P{t(v) = 0} = 1−P{t(v) ≧ C ₀ } = p _c (ℤ ² , site ) := critical probability of site percolation on ℤ ² , and E[t ^δ (u)]<∞ for some δ>4. Received: 6 February 1996 / In revised form: 17 July 1996     

The asymmetric random cluster model and comparison of Ising and Potts models

We introduce the asymmetric random cluster (or ARC) model, which is a graphical representation of the Potts lattice gas, and establish its basic properties. The ARC model allows a rich variety of comparisons (in the FKG sense) between models with different parameter values; we give, for example, values (β, h) for which the 0‘s configuration in the Potts lattice gas is dominated by the “+” configuration of the (β, h) Ising model. The Potts model, with possibly an external field applied to one of the spins, is a special case of the Potts lattice gas, which allows our comparisons to yield rigorous bounds on the critical temperatures of Potts models. For example, we obtain 0.571 ≤ 1 − exp(−β _c ) ≤ 0.600 for the 9-state Potts model on the hexagonal lattice. Another comparison bounds the movement of the critical line when a small Potts interaction is added to a lattice gas which otherwise has only interparticle attraction. ARC models can also be compared to related models such as the partial FK model, obtained by deleting a fraction of the nonsingleton clusters from a realization of the Fortuin-Kasteleyn random cluster model. This comparison leads to bounds on the effects of small annealed site dilution on the critical temperature of the Potts model. Received: 27 August 2000 / Revised version: 31 August 2000 / Published online: 8 May 2001     

The log-Sobolev inequality for weakly coupled lattice fields

We consider a ferromagnetic spin system with unbounded interactions on the d-dimensional integer lattice (d > 1). Under mild assumptions on the one-body interactions (so that arbitrarily deep double wells are allowed), we prove that if the coupling constants are small enough, then the finite volume Gibbs states satisfy the log-Sobolev inequality uniformly in the volume and the boundary condition. Received: 11 November 1997 / Revised version: 17 July 1998     

Transformations of Gibbs measures

We study local transformations of Gibbs measures. We establish sufficient conditions for the quasilocality of the images and obtain results on the existence and continuity properties of their relative energies. General results are illustrated by simple examples. Received: 11 November 1997 / Revised version: 20 February 1998     

Hydrodynamical limit for spatially heterogeneous simple exclusion processes

Summary.   We prove hydrodynamical limit for spatially heterogeneous, asymmetric simple exclusion processes on Z ^d . The jump rate of particles depends on the macroscopic position x through some nonnegative, smooth velocity profile α(x). Hydrodynamics are described by the entropy solution to a spatially heterogeneous conservation law of the form

Large deviations and the equivalence of ensembles for Gibbsian particle systems with superstable interaction

Summary For Gibbsian systems of particles inR ^d , we investigate large deviations of the translation invariant empirical fields in increasing boxes. The particle interaction is given by a superstable, regular pair potential. The large deviation principle is established for systems with free or periodic boundary conditions and, under a stronger stability hypothesis on the potential, for systems with tempered boundary conditions, and for tempered (infinite-volume) Gibbs measures. As a by-product we obtain the Gibbs variational formula for the pressure. We also prove the asymptotic equivalence of microcanonical and grand canonical Gibbs distributions and establish a variational expression for the thermodynamic entropy density.     

Superdiffusivity in first-passage percolation

Summary. In standard first-passage percolation on (with ), the time-minimizing paths from a point to a plane at distance are expected to have transverse fluctuations of order . It has been conjectured that with the inequality strict (superdiffusivity) at least for low and with . We prove (versions of) for all and . Received: 30 August 1995 / In revised form: 28 March 1996     

Uniqueness of Dirichlet forms associated with systems of infinitely many Brownian balls in ℝ d

Summary. Dirichlet forms associated with systems of infinitely many Brownian balls in ℝ ^d are studied. Introducing a linear operator L ₀ defined on a space of smooth local functions, we show the uniqueness of Dirichlet forms associated with self adjoint Markovian extensions of L ₀. We also discuss the ergodicity of the reversible process associated with the Dirichlet form. Received: 18 July 1996/In revised form: 13 February 1997     

A remark on gauge symmetries in Ising spin glasses

This paper studies a particular line in the parameter space of the FK random interaction random cluster model for spin glasses following Katsura ([K]) and Mazza ([M]). We show that, after averaging over the random couplings, the occupied FK bonds have exactly a Bernoulli distribution. Comparison with explicit calculations on trees confirms the marginal role of FK percolation in determining phase transitions. Received: 1 October 1997 / Revised version: 18 May 1998     

Surface order large deviations for high-density percolation

Summary We derive surface order large deviation estimates for the volume of the largest cluster and for the volume of the largest region surrounded by a cluster of a Bernoulli percolation process restricted to a big finite box, with sufficiently large parameter. We also establish a useful version of the isoperimetric inequality, which is the main tool of our proofs.     

Large deviations for the symmetric simple exclusion process in dimensions d≥ 3

We consider symmetric simple exclusion processes with L=&ρmacr;N ^d particles in a periodic d-dimensional lattice of width N. We perform the diffusive hydrodynamic scaling of space and time. The initial condition is arbitrary and is typically far away form equilibrium. It specifies in the scaling limit a density profile on the d-dimensional torus. We are interested in the large deviations of the empirical process, N ^{− d} [∑ ^L ₁δ _{xi (·)}] as random variables taking values in the space of measures on D[0.1]. We prove a large deviation principle, with a rate function that is more or less universal, involving explicity besides the initial profile, only such canonical objects as bulk and self diffusion coefficients. Received: 7 September 1997 / Revised version: 15 May 1998     

The retrieval phase of the Hopfield model: A rigorous analysis of the overlap distribution*

Summary. Standard large deviation estimates or the use of the Hubbard–Stratonovich transformation reduce the analysis of the distribution of the overlap parameters essentially to that of an explicitly known random function Φ _N,β on ℝ ^M . In this article we present a rather careful study of the structure of the minima of this random function related to the retrieval of the stored patterns. We denote by m ^* (β ) the modulus of the spontaneous magnetization in the Curie–Weiss model and by α the ratio between the number of the stored patterns and the system size. We show that there exist strictly positive numbers 0 < γ _a < γ _c such that (1) If √α≦γ _a (m ^* (β )) ² , then the absolute minima of Φ are located within small balls around the points ± m ^* e ^μ , where e ^μ denotes the μ-th unit vector while (2) if √α≦γ _c (m ^* (β )) ² at least a local minimum surrounded by extensive energy barriers exists near these points. The random location of these minima is given within precise bounds. These are used to prove sharp estimates on the support of the Gibbs measures. Received: 5 August 1995 / In revised form: 22 May 1996     

A new inductive approach to the lace expansion for self-avoiding walks

Summary. We introduce a new inductive approach to the lace expansion, and apply it to prove Gaussian behaviour for the weakly self-avoiding walk on ℤ ^d where loops of length m are penalised by a factor e ^{−β/m p} (0<β≪1) when: (1) d>4, p≥0; (2) d≤4, . In particular, we derive results first obtained by Brydges and Spencer (and revisited by other authors) for the case d>4, p=0. In addition, we prove a local central limit theorem, with the exception of the case d>4, p=0. Received: 29 October 1997 / In revised form: 15 January 1998     

Chaotic time dependence in a disordered spin system

Stochastic Ising and voter models on ℤ ^d are natural examples of Markov processes with compact state spaces. When the initial state is chosen uniformly at random, can it happen that the distribution at time t has multiple (subsequence) limits as t→∞? Yes for the d = 1 Voter Model with Random Rates (VMRR) – which is the same as a d = 1 rate-disordered stochastic Ising model at zero temperature – if the disorder distribution is heavy-tailed. No (at least in a weak sense) for the VMRR when the tail is light or d≥ 2. These results are based on an analysis of the “localization” properties of Random Walks with Random Rates. Received: 10 August 1998     

Exact large deviation bounds up toT c for the Ising model in two dimensions

Summary We prove an upper large deviation bound for the block spin magnetization in the 2D Ising model in the phase coexistence region. The precise rate (given by the Wulff construction) is shown to hold true for all > _c. Combined with the lower bounds derived in [I] those results yield an exact second order large deviation theory up to the critical temperature.     

Large deviations for the Ginzburg–Landau ∇φ interface model

Hydrodynamic large scale limit for the Ginzburg-Landau ∇φ interface model was established in [6]. As its next stage this paper studies the corresponding large deviation problem. The dynamic rate functional is given by