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arXiv · cond-mat/0108374

Nature of the glassy phase of RNA secondary structure

F. Krzakala·M. Mezard·M. Mueller
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Abstract

We characterize the low temperature phase of a simple model for RNA secondary structures by determining the typical energy scale E(l) of excitations involving l bases. At zero temperature, we find a scaling law E(l) \sim l^θwith θ\approx 0.23, and this same scaling holds at low enough temperatures. Above a critical temperature, there is a different phase characterized by a relatively flat free energy landscape resembling that of a homopolymer with a scaling exponent θ=1. These results strengthen the evidence in favour of the existence of a glass phase at low temperatures.

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F. Krzakala, M. Mezard, M. Mueller. 2002-03-04. Nature of the glassy phase of RNA secondary structure. https://doi.org/10.1209/epl%2Fi2002-00527-x

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