Simple one-dimensional interaction systems with superexponential relaxation times

Finite one-dimensional random processes with local interaction are presented which keep some information of a topological nature about their initial conditions during time, the logarithm of whose expectation grows asymptotically at least asM ³, whereM is the size of the setR _M of states of one component. ActuallyR _M is a circle of lengthM. At every moment of the discrete time every component turns into some kind of average of its neighbors, after which it makes a random step along this circle. All these steps are mutually independent and identically distributed. In the present version the absolute values of the steps never exceed a constant. The processes are uniform in space, time, and the set of states. This estimation contributes to our awareness of what kind of stable behavior one can expect from one-dimensional random processes with local interaction.Partially supported by NSF grant #DMS-932 1216.