Self-Organized Criticality and Thermodynamic Formalism

We develop a thermodynamic formalism for a dissipative version of the Zhang model of Self-Organized Criticality, where a parameter allows us to tune the local energy dissipation. By constructing a suitable Markov partition we define Gibbs measures (in the sense of Sinai, Ruelle, and Bowen), partition functions, and topological pressure allowing the analysis of probability distributions of avalanches. We discuss the infinite-size limit in this setting. In particular, we show that a Lee–Yang phenomenon occurs in the conservative case. This suggests new connections to classical critical phenomena.     

Avalanches and Self-Organized Criticality in superconductors

We review the use of superconductors as a playground for the experimental study of front roughening and avalanches. Using the magneto-optical technique, the spatial distribution of the vortex density in the sample is monitored as a function of time. The roughness and growth exponents corresponding to the vortex `landscape' are determined and compared to the exponents that characterize the avalanches in the framework of Self-Organized Criticality. For those situations where a thermo-magnetic instability arises, an analytical non-linear and non-local model is discussed, which is found to be consistent to great detail with the experimental results. On anisotropic substrates, the anisotropy regularizes the avalanches.     

Self-Organized Criticality in an Anisotropic Earthquake Model

We have made an extensive numerical study of a modified model proposed by Olami,Feder,and Christensen to describe earthquake behavior.Two situations were considered in this paper.One situation is that the energy of the unstable site is redistributed to its nearest neighbors randomly not averagely and keeps itself to zero.The other situation is that the energy of the unstable site is redistributed to its nearest neighbors randomly and keeps some energy for itself instead of reset to zero.Different boundary conditions were considered as well.By analyzing the distribution of earthquake sizes,we found that self-organized criticality can be excited only in the conservative case or the approximate conservative case in the above situations.Some evidence indicated that the critical exponent of both above situations and the original OFC model tend to the same result in the conservative case.The only difference is that the avalanche size in the original model is bigger.This result may be closer to the real world,after all,every crust plate size is different.     

Stochastic Porous Media Equations and Self-Organized Criticality

The existence and uniqueness of nonnegative strong solutions for stochastic porous media equations with noncoercive monotone diffusivity function and Wiener forcing term is proven. The finite time extinction of solutions with high probability is also proven in 1-D. The results are relevant for self-organized criticality behavior of stochastic nonlinear diffusion equations with critical states.     

Scaling Exponents and Power Spectrum of Self-Organized Criticality

A directed sandpile automaton is simulated on a triangular lattice. Water droplets on a window pane are argued to be in the same class of universality hence also in a self-organized critical state. Various scaling exponents are obtained. In agreement with experimental results, the power spectrum is shown to be f^-2-like instead of f^-1-like.     

Dynamics and Entropy in the Zhang Model of Self-Organized Criticality

We give a detailed study of dynamical properties of the Zhang model, including evaluation of topological entropy and estimates for the Lyapunov exponents and the dimension of the attractor. In the thermodynamic limit the entropy goes to zero and the Lyapunov spectrum collapses.     

A Kind of Neural Network Model Displaying Self-Organized Criticality

Based on the LISSOM model and the OFC earthquake model, we introduce a selforganized neural network model, in which the distribution of the avalanche sizes (unstable neurons) shows power-law behavior. In addition, we analyze the influence of various factors of the model on the power-law behavior of the avalanche size distribution.     

Self-Organized Criticality Analysis of Earthquake Model Based on Heterogeneous Networks

The original Olami-Feder-Christensen (OFC) model, which displays a robust power-law behavior, is a quasistatic two-dimensional version of the Burridge--Knopoff spring-block model of earthquakes. In this paper, we introduce a modified OFC model based on heterogeneous network, improving the redistribution rule of the original model. It can be seen as a generalization of the original OFC model. We numerically investigate the influence of theparameters θ and β, which respectively control the intensity of the evolutivemechanism of the topological growth and the inner selection dynamicsin our networks, and find that there are two distinct phases in theparameter space (θ, β). Meanwhile, we study the influence of the control parameter a either. Increasing a, the earthquake behavior of the model transfers from local to global.     

Self-Organized Criticality in a Simple Neuron Model Based on Scale-Free Networks

A simple model for a set of interacting idealized neurons in scale-free networks is introduced. The basic elements of the model are endowed with the main features of a neuron function. We find that our model displays powerlaw behavior of avalanche sizes and generates long-range temporal correlation. More importantly, we find different dynamical behavior for nodes with different connectivity in the scale-free networks.     

Self-Organized Criticality in a Simple Neuron Model Based on Scale-Free Networks

A simple model for a set of interacting idealized neurons in scale-free networks is introduced. The basic elements of the model are endowed with the main features of a neuron function. We find that our model displays powerlaw behavior of avalanche sizes and generates long-range temporal correlation. More importantly, we find different dynamical behavior for nodes with different connectivity in the scale-free networks.     

On Origin of Power-Law Distributions in Self-Organized Criticality from Random Walk Treatment

The origin of power-law distributions in self-organized criticality is investigated by treating the variation of the number of active sites in the system as a stochastic process. An avalanche is then regarded as a first-return random walk process in a one-dimensional lattice. We assume that the variation of the number of active sites has three possibilities in each update： to increase by 1 with probability f1, to decrease by 1 with probability f2, or remain unchanged with probability 1 - f1 - f2. This mimics the dynamics in the system. Power-law distributions of the lifetime are found when the random walk is unbiased with equal probability to move in opposite directions. This shows that power-law distributions in self-organized criticality may be caused by the balance of competitive interactions.     

A Modified Earthquake Model of Self-Organized Criticality on Small World Networks

A modified Olami-Feder-Christensen model of self-organized criticality on a square lattice with the properties of small world networks has been studied. We find that our model displays power-law behavior and the exponent τ of the model depends on φ, the density of long-range connections in our network.     

Effect of Correlations on the Exponents for the Power-Law Distributions in Self-Organized Criticality

The origin of power-law distributions in self-organized criticality is investigated by treating the variation of the number of active sites in the system as a stochastic process. An avalanche is mapped to a first-return random-walk process in a one-dimensional lattice. In order to understand the reason of variant exponents for the power-law distributions in different self-organized critical systems, we introduce the correlations among evolution steps. Power-law distributions of the lifetime and spatial size are found when the random walk is unbiased with equal probability to move in opposite directions. It is found that the longer the correlation length, the smaller values of the exponents for the power-law distributions.     

Effect of Correlations on the Exponents for the Power-Law Distributions in Self-Organized Criticality

The origin of power-law distributions in self-organized criticality is investigated by treating the variation of the number of active sites in the system as a stochastic process. An avalanche is mapped to a first-return random-walk process in a one-dimensional lattice. In order to understand the reason of variant exponents for the power-law distributions in different self-organized critical systems, we introduce the correlations among evolution steps. Power-law distributions of the lifetime and spatial size are found when the random walk is unbiased with equal probability to move in opposite directions. It is found that the longer the correlation length, the smaller values of the exponents for the power-law distributions.     

Sensitivity to Initial Conditions in Self-Organized Critical Systems

We discuss sensitivity to initial conditions in a model for avalanches in granular media displaying self-organized criticality. We show that damage, due to a small perturbation in initial conditions, does not spread. The damage persists in a statistically time-invariant and scale-free form. We argue that the origin of this behavior is the Abelian nature of the model, which generalizes our results to all models with Abelian properties, including the BTW model and the Manna model. An ensemble average of the damage leads to seemingly time dependent damage spreading. Scaling arguments show that this numerical result is due to the time lag before avalanches reach the initial perturbation.