Logarithmic corrections of the avalanche distributions of sandpile models at the upper critical dimension

Abstract

We study numerically the dynamical properties of the BTW model on a square lattice for various dimensions. The aim of this investigation is to determine the value of the upper critical dimension where the avalanche distributions are characterized by the mean-field exponents. Our results are consistent with the assumption that the scaling behavior of the four-dimensional BTW model is characterized by the mean-field exponents with additional logarithmic corrections. We benefit in our analysis from the exact solution of the directed BTW model at the upper critical dimension which allows to derive how logarithmic corrections affect the scaling behavior at the upper critical dimension. Similar logarithmic corrections forms fit the numerical data for the four-dimensional BTW model, strongly suggesting that the value of the upper critical dimension is four.