Stochastic Toppling Research Articles

Statistical properties of directed avalanches

A two-dimensional directed stochastic sandpile model is studied both numerically and analytically. One of the known analytical approaches is extended by considering general stochastic toppling rules. The probability density distribution for the first-passage time of stochastic process described by a nonlinear Langevin equation with power-law dependence of the diffusion coefficient is obtained. Large-scale Monte Carlo simulations are performed with the aim to analyze statistical properties of the avalanches, such as the asymmetry between the initial and final stages, scaling of voids and the width of the thickest branch. Comparison with random walks description is drawn and different plausible scenarios for the avalanche evolution and the scaling exponents are suggested.

Steady State of Stochastic Sandpile Models

We study the steady state of the abelian sandpile models with stochastic toppling rules. The particle addition operators commute with each other, but in general these operators need not be diagonalizable. We use their abelian algebra to determine their eigenvalues, and the Jordan block structure. These are then used to determine the probability of different configurations in the steady state. We illustrate this procedure by explicitly determining the numerically exact steady state for a one dimensional example, for systems of size $\le12$, and also study the density profile in the steady state.

Universality Class in Abelian Sandpile Modelswith Stochastic Toppling Rules**The project supported by NationalNatural Science Foundation of China under Grant No. 50272022 and theState Key Laboratory of Laser of China under Grant No. 9731D

We present a stochastic critical slope sandpile model, where the amount ofgrains that fall in an overturning event is stochastic variable. The modelis local, conservative, and Abelian. We apply the moment analysis to evaluatecritical exponents and finite size scaling method to consistently test theobtained results. Numerical results show that this model, Oslomodel, and one-dimensional Abelian Manna model have the same critical behavioralthough the three models have different stochastic toppling rules, which providesevidences suggesting that Abelian sandpile models with different stochastictoppling rules are in the same universality class.

Generic sandpile models have directed percolation exponents.

We study sandpile models with stochastic toppling rules and having sticky grains so that with a nonzero probability no toppling occurs, even if the local height of pile exceeds the threshold value. Dissipation is introduced by adding a small probability of particle loss at each toppling. Generically for the models with a preferred direction, the avalanche exponents are those of critical directed percolation clusters. For undirected models, avalanche exponents are those of directed percolation clusters in one higher dimension.

Exact solution of a stochastic directed sandpile model.

We introduce and analytically solve a directed sandpile model with stochastic toppling rules. The model clearly belongs to a different universality class from its counterpart with deterministic toppling rules, previously solved by Dhar and Ramaswamy. The critical exponents are D(//)=7/4, tau=10/7 in two dimensions and D(//)=3/2, tau=4/3 in one dimension. The upper critical dimension of the model is three, at which the exponents apart from logarithmic corrections reach their mean-field values D(//)=2, tau=3/2.

Critical behavior and conservation in directed sandpiles

We perform large-scale simulations of directed sandpile models with both deterministic and stochastic toppling rules. Our results show the existence of two distinct universality classes. We also provide numerical simulations of directed models in the presence of bulk dissipation. The numerical results indicate that the way in which dissipation is implemented is irrelevant for the determination of the critical behavior. The analysis of the self-affine properties of avalanches shows the existence of a subset of superuniversal exponents, whose value is independent of the universality class. This feature is accounted for by means of a phenomenological description of the energy balance condition in these models.

Universality classes for the ricepile model with absorbing properties

The absorbing "ricepile" model with stochastic toppling rules has been numerically studied. Local limited, local unlimited, nonlocal limited, and nonlocal unlimited versions of the absorbing model have been investigated. Transport properties and different dynamical regimes of all of the models have been analyzed, from the point of view of self-organized criticality. Phase transitions between different dynamical regimes were studied in detail. It was shown that the absorbing models belong to two different universality classes.

The Abelian sandpile and related models

The Abelian sandpile model is the simplest analytically tractable model of self-organized criticality. This paper presents a brief review of known results about the model. The Abelian group structure of the algebra of operators allows an exact calculation of many of its properties. In particular, when there is a preferred direction, one can calculate all the critical exponents characterizing the distribution of avalanche-sizes in all dimensions. For the undirected case, the model is related to q → 0 state Potts model. This enables exact calculation of some exponents in two dimensions, and there are some conjectures about others. We also discuss a generalization of the model to a network of communicating reactive processors. This includes sandpile models with stochastic toppling rules as a special case. We also consider a nondashAbelian stochastic variant, which lies in a different universality class, related to directed percolation.

Self-organized criticality and directed percolation

A sandpile model with stochastic toppling rule is studied. The control parameters and the phase diagram are determined through a MF approach, the subcritical and critical regions are analyzed. The model is found to have some similarities with directed percolation, but the existence of different boundary conditions and conservation law leads to a different universality class, where the critical state is extended to a line segment due to self-organization. These results are supported with numerical simulations in one dimension. The present model constitute a simple model which capture the essential difference between ordinary nonequilibrium critical phenomena, like DP, and self-organized criticality.

Emergent Spatial Structures in Critical Sandpiles

We introduce and study a new directed sandpile model with threshold dynamics and stochastic toppling rules. We show that particle conservation law and the directed percolation-like local evolution of avalanches lead to the formation of a spatial structure in the steady state, with the density developing a power law tail away from the top. We determine the scaling exponents characterizing the avalanche distributions in terms of the critical exponents of directed percolation in all dimensions.