Absorbing Phase Transition Research Articles

Validity of scaling relations in absorbing phase transitions with a conserved field

The two scaling relations in absorbing phase transitions, nu_||=beta/theta and z=nu_||/nu_(perpendicular), are studied for a conserved lattice gas model. The critical indices calculated elaborately from the all-sample average density of active particles appear to satisfy both relations. However, the exponent nu_(perpendicular) calculated from the surviving samples does not appear to be consistent with the value in the thermodynamic limit. This is in contrast with earlier observations [M. Rossi, Phys. Rev. Lett. 85, 1803 (2000); S. Lübeck and P. C. Heger, Phys. Rev. E. 68, 056102 (2003)], in that the former scaling relation was claimed to be violated.

Universality split in absorbing phase transition with conserved field on fractal lattices

The universality split in absorbing phase transition between the conserved lattice gas (CLG) model and the conserved threshold transfer process (CTTP) is investigated on a checkerboard fractal and on a Sierpinski gasket. The critical exponents theta, beta, nu||, and z, which are associated with, respectively, the density of active particles in time, the order parameter, the temporal correlation length, and the dynamics of active particles, are elaborately measured for two models on selected fractal lattices. The exponents for the CLG model are found to be distinctly different from those of the CTTP model on a checkerboard fractal, whereas the two models exhibit the same critical behavior on a Sierpinski gasket, indicating that the universality split between the two models occurs only on a checkerboard fractal. Such a universality split is attributed from the dominant hopping mechanisms caused by the intrinsic properties of the underlying fractal lattice.

Boundary-Induced Nonequilibrium Phase Transition into an Absorbing State

We demonstrate that absorbing phase transitions in one dimension may be induced by the dynamics of a single site. As an example, we consider a one-dimensional model of diffusing particles, where a single site at the boundary evolves according to the dynamics of a contact process. As the rate for offspring production at this site is varied, the model exhibits a phase transition from a fluctuating active phase into an absorbing state. The universal properties of the transition are analyzed by numerical simulations and approximation techniques.

Absorbing phase transition in a conserved lattice gas model in one dimension

We investigated the nonequilibrium phase transition of the conserved lattice gas model in one dimension using two update methods: i.e., the sequential update and the parallel update. We measured the critical indices of theta, beta, nu(parallel), and nu(perpendicular), and found that, for a parallel update, the exponents were delicately influenced by the hopping rule of active particles. When the hopping rule was designed to be symmetric, the results were found to be consistent with those of the sequential update. The exponents we obtained were precisely the same as the corresponding results of a recently presented lattice model of two species of particles with a conserved field in one dimension, in contrast with the authors' claim. We also found that one of the scaling relations known for absorbing phase transition is violated.

Directed Percolation Criticality in Turbulent Liquid Crystals

We experimentally investigate the critical behavior of a phase transition between two topologically different turbulent states of electrohydrodynamic convection in nematic liquid crystals. The statistical properties of the observed spatiotemporal intermittency regimes are carefully determined, yielding a complete set of static critical exponents in full agreement with those defining the directed percolation class in 2+1 dimensions. This constitutes the first clear and comprehensive experimental evidence of an absorbing phase transition in this prominent nonequilibrium universality class.

Absorbing phase transition in contact process on fractal lattices

We investigate the critical behavior of nonequilibrium phase transition from an active phase to an absorbing state on two selected fractal lattices, i.e., on a checkerboard fractal and on a Sierpinski carpet. The checkerboard fractal is finitely ramified with many dead ends, while the Sierpinski carpet is infinitely ramified. We measure various critical exponents of the contact process with a diffusion–reaction scheme A→AA and A→0, characterized by a spreading with a rate λ and an annihilation with a rate μ , and the results are confirmed by a crossover scaling and a finite-size scaling. The exponents, compared with the ϵ -expansion results assuming ϵ = 4 − d F , d F being the fractal dimension of the underlying fractal lattice, exhibit significant deviations from the analytical results for both the checkerboard fractal and the Sierpinski carpet. On the other hand, the exponents on a checkerboard fractal agree well with the interpolated results of the regular lattice for the fractional dimensionality, while those on a Sierpinski carpet show marked deviations.

Absorbing phase transition in conserved lattice gas model on fractal lattices

We study the continuous phase transition of the conserved lattice gas (CLG) model from an active phase into an absorbing phase on two fractal lattices, i.e., on a checkerboard fractal and on a Sierpinski gasket. In the CLG model, a particle is assumed to be active if any of the neighboring sites are occupied by a particle and inactive if all neighboring sites are empty. We estimate critical exponents theta, beta, nu||, and nu perpendicular, characterizing, respectively, the density of active particles in time, the order parameter, the temporal and spatial correlation lengths near the critical point, and the results are confirmed by off-critical scaling and finite size scaling. The order parameter exponent beta on a checkerboard fractal appears to lie between the one-dimensional (1D) value and two-dimensional (2D) value of the CLG model, while that on a Sierpinski gasket lies between the 1D and 2D values of the conserved threshold transfer process. Such a difference is manifested based on the intrinsic properties of the underlying fractal lattices.

Absorbing States and Elastic Interfaces in Random Media: Two Equivalent Descriptions of Self-Organized Criticality

We elucidate a long-standing puzzle about the nonequilibrium universality classes describing self-organized criticality in sandpile models. We show that depinning transitions of linear interfaces in random media and absorbing phase transitions (with a conserved nondiffusive field) are two equivalent languages to describe sandpile criticality. This is so despite the fact that local roughening properties can be radically different in the two pictures, as explained here. Experimental implications of our work as well as promising paths for future theoretical investigations are also discussed.

An absorbing phase transition from a structured active particle phase

In this work we study the absorbing state phase transition of a recently introduced modelfor interacting particles with neighbourhood-dependent reproduction rates. The novelty ofthe transition is that as soon as the active phase is reached by increasing a controlparameter a periodically arranged structure of particle clusters appears. A numerical studyin one and two dimensions shows that the system falls into the directed percolationuniversality class.

The phase transition of the diffusive pair contact process revisited

The restricted diffusive pair contact process 2 A → 3 A , 2 A → ∅ (PCPD) and the classification of its critical behavior continues to be a challenging open problem of non-equilibrium statistical mechanics. Recently, Kockelkoren and Chaté [Absorbing phase transition of branching-annihilating random walks, Phys. Rev. Lett. 90 (2003) 125701] suggested that the PCPD in one spatial dimension represents a genuine universality class of non-equilibrium phase transitions which differs from previously known classes. To this end they introduced an efficient lattice model in which the number of particles per site is unrestricted. In numerical simulations this model displayed clean power laws, indicating ordinary critical behavior associated with certain non-trivial critical exponents. In the present work, however, we arrive at a different conclusion. Increasing the numerical effort, we find a slow drift of the effective exponents which is of the same type as observed in previously studied fermionic realizations. Analyzing this drift we discuss the possibility that the asymptotic critical behavior of the PCPD may be governed by an ordinary directed percolation fixed point.

Absorbing phase transition with a conserved field

We study a lattice gas model where the number of particles is conserved during dynamical process. Our model shows a continuous phase transition from a fluctuating phase to two symmetric absorbing states at the critical point in one dimension. We conjecture the values of the critical exponents characterizing the phase transition of our model. We show that the obtained values are in good agreement with those estimated from computer simulations. The critical exponents indicate that our model exhibits an absorbing phase transition which is different from the known ones.

Absorbing phase transitions of unidirectionally coupled nonequilibrium systems

We investigate the change of critical behavior of two-level hierarchy systems in which the second level (B) is unidirectionally coupled to the first (A) by the coupling dynamics A --> A + nB with n = 1 or 2. The first level belongs to the directed percolation or the parity-conserving (PC) universality class, the second to PC. If both levels are critical, the active region of the second level becomes heterogeneous. In the so-called coupled region the first level feeds particles to the second, while in the uncoupled region the second level evolves autonomously. Measuring dynamic critical exponents in both regions, we show to what extent the critical behavior of the second level depends on the universality class of the first. These results suggest a simple criterion for the emergence of unusual critical behavior of unidirectionally coupled nonequilibrium systems.

Asymmetrically Coupled Directed Percolation Systems

We introduce a dynamical model of coupled directed percolation systems with two particle species. The two species A and B are coupled asymmetrically in that A particles branch B particles, whereas B particles prey on A particles. This model may describe epidemic spreading controlled by reactive immunization agents. We study nonequilibrium phase transitions with attention focused on the multicritical point where both species undergo the absorbing phase transition simultaneously. In one dimension, we find that the inhibitory coupling from B to A is irrelevant and the model belongs to the unidirectionally coupled directed percolation class. On the contrary, a mean-field analysis predicts that the inhibitory coupling is relevant and a new universality appears with a variable dynamic exponent. Numerical simulations on small-world networks confirm our predictions.

Integration of Langevin Equations with Multiplicative Noise and the Viability of Field Theories for Absorbing Phase Transitions

Efficient and accurate integration of stochastic (partial) differential equations with multiplicative noise can be obtained through a split-step scheme, which separates the integration of the deterministic part from that of the stochastic part, the latter being performed by sampling exactly the solution of the associated Fokker-Planck equation. We demonstrate the computational power of this method by applying it to the most absorbing phase transitions for which Langevin equations have been proposed. This provides precise estimates of the associated scaling exponents, clarifying the classification of these nonequilibrium problems, and confirms or refutes some existing theories.

UNIVERSAL SCALING BEHAVIOR OF NON-EQUILIBRIUM PHASE TRANSITIONS

Non-equilibrium critical phenomena have attracted a lot of research interest in the recent decades. Similar to equilibrium critical phenomena, the concept of universality remains the major tool to order the great variety of non-equilibrium phase transitions systematically. All systems belonging to a given universality class share the same set of critical exponents, and certain scaling functions become identical near the critical point. It is known that the scaling functions vary more widely between different universality classes than the exponents. Thus, universal scaling functions offer a sensitive and accurate test for a system's universality class. On the other hand, universal scaling functions demonstrate the robustness of a given universality class impressively. Unfortunately, most studies focus on the determination of the critical exponents, neglecting the universal scaling functions. In this work a particular class of non-equilibrium critical phenomena is considered, the so-called absorbing phase transitions. Absorbing phase transitions are expected to occur in physical, chemical as well as biological systems, and a detailed introduction is presented. The universal scaling behavior of two different universality classes is analyzed in detail, namely the directed percolation and the Manna universality class. Especially, directed percolation is the most common universality class of absorbing phase transitions. The presented picture gallery of universal scaling functions includes steady state, dynamical as well as finite size scaling functions. In particular, the effect of an external field conjugated to the order parameter is investigated. Incorporating the conjugated field, it is possible to determine the equation of state, the susceptibility, and to perform a modified finite-size scaling analysis appropriate for absorbing phase transitions. Focusing on these equations, the obtained results can be applied to other non-equilibrium continuous phase transitions observed in numerical simulations or experiments. Thus, we think that the presented picture gallery of universal scaling functions is valuable for future work. Additionally to the manifestation of universality classes, universal scaling functions are useful in order to check renormalization group results quantitatively. Since the renormalization group theory is the basis of our understanding of critical phenomena, it is of fundamental interest to examine the accuracy of the obtained results. Due to the continuing improvement of computer hardware, accurate numerical data have become available, resulting in a fruitful interplay between numerical investigations and renormalization group analyzes.

Quantitative phase diagrams of branching and annihilating random walks.

We demonstrate the full power of nonperturbative renormalization group methods for nonequilibrium situations by calculating the quantitative phase diagrams of simple branching and annihilating random walks and checking these results against careful numerical simulations. Specifically, we show, for the [see text] case, that an absorbing phase transition exists in dimensions d=1 to 6 and argue that mean-field theory is restored not in d=3, as suggested by previous analyses, but only in the limit d--> infinity.

Stability of vacuum in coupled directed percolation processes.

We study the absorbing phase transitions in coupled directed percolation (DP) processes with N -species particles in one dimension. The interspecies coupling is linear, bidirectional, and excitatory. We find that the presence of a spontaneous annihilation process A-->0 is essential in stabilizing the absorbing phase (vacuum). In the coupled contact processes, the vacuum is stable and the system exhibits DP type transitions, regardless of the coupling strength, for all N. However, in the coupled branching annihilation random walks with one offspring (BAW), where particle annihilations occur only through binary diffusion processes A+A-->0, the vacuum becomes unstable with respect to an arbitrarily small branching rate in a sufficiently strong coupling regime for N> or =3. The N=2 BAW exhibits the DP type transition for any coupling strength, but the inclusion of interspecies hard core (HC) interaction makes the vacuum unstable again and the system is always active in a strong coupling regime. Critical behavior near the zero branching point is characterized by the mean-field scaling exponents, beta= nu(radially) = 1/2 and nu(axially) =1, regardless of the presence of HC interaction. We also discuss the effects of the asymmetric coupling.

Phase transitions and correlations in the bosonic pair contact process with diffusion: exact results

The variance of the local density of the pair contact process with diffusion (PCPD) is investigated in a bosonic description. At the critical point of the absorbing phase transition (where the average particle number remains constant) it is shown that for lattice dimension d>2 the variance exhibits a phase transition: For high enough diffusion constants, it asymptotically approaches a finite value, while for low diffusion constants the variance diverges exponentially in time. This behavior appears also in the density correlation function, implying that the correlation time is negative. Yet one has dynamical scaling with a dynamical exponent calculated to be z=2.

Universal finite-size scaling behavior and universal dynamical scaling behavior of absorbing phase transitions with a conserved field.

We analyze numerically three different models exhibiting an absorbing phase transition. We focus on the finite-size scaling as well as the dynamical scaling behavior. An accurate determination of several critical exponents allows one to validate certain hyperscaling relations. Using these hyperscaling relations it is possible to express the avalanche exponents of a self-organized critical system in terms of the ordinary exponents of a continuous absorbing phase transition.

Critical behavior in reaction-diffusion systems exhibiting absorbing phase transitions

Phase transitions of reaction-diffusion systems with site occupation restriction and with particle creation that requires n>1 parents and where explicit diffusion of single particles (A) exists are reviewed. Arguments based on mean-field approximation and simulations are given which support novel kind of non-equilibrium criticality. These are in contradiction with the implications of a suggested phenomenological, multiplicative noise Langevin equation approach and with some of recent numerical analysis. Simulation results for the one and two dimensional binary spreading 2A -> 4A, 4A -> 2A model display a new type of mean-field criticality characterized by alpha=1/3 and beta=1/2 critical exponents suggested in cond-mat/0210615.