arXiv subjects

Augusto Teixeira

Publications and source records attributed to Augusto Teixeira.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Weighted isoperimetry implies percolation

Consider an infinite edge-weighted graph satisfying an isoperimetric inequality of the type $\|\partial A\|\geq C|A|^\alpha$ for some $\alpha,C>0$, where $\|\partial A\|$ denotes the weighted size of the edge boundary of $A$. We prove that, for $C$ large enough depending on $\alpha$, if each edge is open independently with probability given by its weight, then any vertex is connected to infinity with positive probability. The result also holds under weaker isoperimetric assumptions and on finite graphs. The proof brings a new perspective on the recent proof of the Benjamini--Schramm conjecture concerning the same problem with homogeneous weights. The crucial novelty in our proof is that, rather than simply counting cutsets, we introduce a new Peierls argument which takes into account internal and external connectivity costs in addition to the cost of the blocking surface. We provide two applications for the above result. First, we show that every non-summable long-range percolation on $\mathbb{Z}^d$, $d\geq 2$, admits a percolating truncation, solving a conjecture of Sidoravicius, Surgailis and Vares and its generalization by Friedli and de Lima. Secondly, we show that there exists a universal constant $C < \infty$ such that $p_{\mathrm{c}} \leq C/\Delta$ for every transitive graph of superlinear growth and vertex degree $\Delta$, thus proving a conjecture of Easo and Hutchcroft.

math.PR↗

arXiv2026

Percolation on hierarchical lattices

We consider independent Bernoulli percolation on top of sequences of hierarchical graphs. Given a graph $G_{1}$ with two distinguished vertices $a_{1}$ and $b_{1}$, the hierarchical graph with seed $G_{1}$ is the sequence $\big( G_{k} \big)_{k \geq 1}$ resulting from the inductive procedure, where the graph $G_{k+1}$ is obtained from $G_{k}$ by replacing each of its edges with a copy of $G_{1}$, attached by the vertices $a_{1}$ and $b_{1}$. We prove that, under sharp hypotheses, percolation on these graphs presents a unique phase transition. Second, we establish the existence of several critical exponents in this context, such as the critical exponents for the correlation length $\nu$, the surface tension $\mu$, the one-arm exponent $\alpha_{1}$. Several results are also obtained for their infinite counterpart $G_\infty$, which is the Benjamini-Schramm limit of $G_k$: uniqueness of the infinite cluster, continuity of $\theta(p)$, existence of the percolation-probability exponent $\beta$ and scaling relations for the critical exponents $\alpha_1$, $\nu$ and $\beta$. Furthermore, we analyze noise sensitivity for crossing functions in $G_{k}$ and establish sharp noise sensitivity in this setting. Finally, we propose a setup where it is possible to verify the locality hypothesis, stating that the critical threshold for percolation is a local property, while critical exponents are determined by the global geometry of the graph. As a consequence of the techniques developed here, we also provide a necessary and sufficient condition for the existence of a unique fixed point for the map $p \mapsto \mathbb{E}_p[g]$ in $(0,1)$, where $g:\{0,1\}^n \to \{0,1\}$ is a nontrivial monotone Boolean function.

math.PR↗

arXiv2026

Holder continuity of interfaces for scale-invariant Poisson stick soup

We study the interface of covered and vacant sets in the subcritical phase of a scale-invariant Poisson stick soup on the plane. This model is a natural candidate for scaling limit of some planar models and has connections with long-range percolation on the plane with critical parameter $s=4$. We analyze a family of exploration paths on boxes and prove tightness for this family and Holder continuity for its limiting measures.

math.PR↗

arXiv2024

Dave: a decentralized, secure, and lively fraud-proof algorithm

In this paper, we introduce a new fraud-proof algorithm that offers an unprecedented combination of decentralization, security, and liveness. The resources that must be mobilized by an honest participant to defeat an adversary grow only logarithmically with what the adversary ultimately loses. As a consequence, there is no need to introduce high bonds that prevent an adversary from creating too many Sybils. This makes the system very inclusive and frees participants from having to pool resources among themselves to engage the protocol. Finally, the maximum delay to finalization also grows only logarithmically with total adversarial expenditure, with the smallest multiplicative factor to date. In summary: the entire dispute completes in 2--5 challenge periods, the only way to break consensus is to censor the honest party for more than one challenge period, and the costs of engaging in the dispute are minimal.

cs.CR↗

arXiv2024

Locality approach to the bootstrap percolation paradox

We revisit the Bootstrap Percolation model, leveraging recent mathematical advances linking it with its local counterpart. This new perspective resolves, for the first time, historic discrepancies between Monte Carlo simulations and theoretical results: previously, those predictions disagreed even in the first-order asymptotics of the model. In contrast, our framework achieves excellent agreement between numerics and theory, which now match up to the third-order expansion, as the infection probability approaches zero. Our algorithm allows us to generate novel predictions for the model.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2024

Random Markov property for random walks in random environments

We consider random walks in dynamic random environments and propose a criterion which, if satisfied, allows to decompose the random walk trajectory into i.i.d. increments, and ultimately to prove limit theorems. The criterion involves the construction of a random field built from the environment, that has to satisfy a certain random Markov property along with some mixing estimates. We apply this criterion to correlated environments such as Boolean percolation and renewal chains featuring polynomial decay of correlations.

math.PR↗

arXiv2024

Can one condition a killed random walk to survive?

We consider the simple random walk on $\mathbb{Z}^d$ killed with probability $p(|x|)$ at site $x$ for a function $p$ decaying at infinity. Due to recurrence in dimension $d=2$, the killed random walk (KRW) dies almost surely if $p$ is positive, while in dimension $d \geq 3$ it is known that the KRW dies almost surely if and only if $\int_0^{\infty}rp(r)dr = \infty$, under mild technical assumptions on $p$. In this paper we consider, for any $d \geq 2$, functions $p$ for which the KRW dies almost surely and we ask ourselves if the KRW conditioned to survive is well-defined. More precisely, given an exhaustion $(\Lambda_R)_{R \in \mathbb{N}}$ of $\mathbb{Z}^d$, does the KRW conditioned to leave $\Lambda_R$ before dying converges in distribution towards a limit which does not depend on the exhaustion? We first prove that this conditioning is well-defined for $p(r) = o(r^{-2})$, and that it is not for $p(r) = \min(1, r^{-\alpha})$ for $\alpha \in (14/9,2)$. This question is connected to branching random walks and the infinite snake. More precisely, in dimension $d=4$, the infinite snake is related to the KRW with $p(r) \asymp (r^2\log(r))^{-1}$, therefore our results imply that the infinite snake conditioned to avoid the origin in four dimensions is well-defined.

math.PR↗

arXiv2024

Bootstrap percolation is local

Metastability thresholds lie at the heart of bootstrap percolation theory. Yet proving precise lower bounds is notoriously hard. We show that for two of the most classical models, two-neighbour and Froböse, upper bounds are sharp to essentially arbitrary precision, by linking them to their local counterparts. In Froböse bootstrap percolation, iteratively, any vertex of the square lattice that is the only healthy vertex of a $1\times1$ square becomes infected and infections never heal. We prove that if vertices are initially infected independently with probability $p\to0$, then with high probability the origin becomes infected after \[\exp\left(\frac{π^2}{6p}-\frac{π\sqrt{2+\sqrt2}}{\sqrt p}+\frac{O(\log^2(1/p))}{\sqrt[3]p}\right)\] time steps. We achieve this by proposing a new paradigmatic view on bootstrap percolation based on locality. Namely, we show that studying the Froböse model is equivalent in an extremely strong sense to studying its local version. As a result, we completely bypass Holroyd's classical but technical hierarchy method, yielding the first term above and systematically used throughout bootstrap percolation for the last two decades. Instead, the proof features novel links to large deviation theory, eigenvalue perturbations and others. We also use the locality viewpoint to resolve the so-called bootstrap percolation paradox. Indeed, we propose and implement an exact (deterministic) algorithm which exponentially outperforms previous Monte Carlo approaches. This allows us to clearly showcase and quantify the slow convergence we prove rigorously. The same approach applies, with more extensive computations, to the two-neighbour model, in which vertices are infected when they have at least two infected neighbours and do not recover. We expect it to be applicable to a wider range of models and correspondingly conclude with a number of open problems.

math.PR↗

arXiv2024

Covering Distributions

In this article, we study a covering process of the discrete one-dimensional torus that uses connected arcs of random sizes in the covering. More precisely, fix a distribution μon \mathbb{N}, and for every n\geq 1 we will cover the torus \mathbb{Z}/n\mathbb{Z} as follows: at each time step, we place an arc with a length distributed as μand a uniform starting point. Eventually, the space will be covered entirely by these arcs. Changing the arc length distribution μcan potentially change the limiting behavior of the covering time. Here, we expose four distinct phases for the fluctuations of the cover time in the limit. These phases can be informally described as the Gumbel phase, the compactly support phase, the pre-exponential phase, and the exponential phase. Furthermore, we expose a continuous-time cover process that works as a limit distribution within the compactly support phase.

math.PR↗

arXiv2023

A new proof for percolation phase transition on stretched lattices

We revisit the phase transition for percolation on randomly stretched lattices. Starting with the usual square grid, keep all vertices untouched while erasing edges according as follows: for every integer $i$, the entire column of vertical edges contained in the line $\{ x = i \}$ is removed independently of other columns with probability $ρ> 0$. Similarly, for every integer $j$, the entire row of horizontal edges contained in the line $\{ y = j\}$ is removed independently with probability $ρ$. On the remaining random lattice, we perform Bernoulli bond percolation. Our main contribution is an alternative proof that the model undergoes a nontrivial phase transition, a result established earlier by Hoffman. The main novelty lies on the fact that the dynamic renormalization employed earlier is replaced by a static version, which is simpler and more robust to extend to different models. We emphasize the flexibility of our methods by showing the non-triviality of the phase transition for a new oriented percolation model in a random environment as well as for a model previously investigated by Kesten, Sidoravicius and Vares. We also prove a result about the sensitivity of the phase transition with respect to the stretching mechanism.

math.PR↗

arXiv2023

Phase transition for the vacant set of random walk and random interlacements

We consider the set of points visited by the random walk on the discrete torus $(\mathbb{Z}/N\mathbb{Z})^d$, for $d \geq 3$, at times of order $uN^d$, for a parameter $u>0$ in the large-$N$ limit. We prove that the vacant set left by the walk undergoes a phase transition across a non-degenerate critical value $u_* = u_*(d)$, as follows. For all $u< u_*$, the vacant set contains a giant connected component with high probability, which has a non-vanishing asymptotic density and satisfies a certain local uniqueness property. In stark contrast, for all $u> u_*$ the vacant set scatters into tiny connected components. Our results further imply that the threshold $u_*$ precisely equals the critical value, introduced by Sznitman in arXiv:0704.2560, which characterizes the percolation transition of the corresponding local limit, the vacant set of random interlacements on $\mathbb{Z}^d$. Our findings also yield the analogous infinite-volume result, i.e. the long purported equality of three critical parameters $\bar u$, $u_*$ and $u_{**}$ naturally associated to the vacant set of random interlacements.

math.PR↗

arXiv2023

A characterization of strong percolation via disconnection

We consider a percolation model, the vacant set $\mathcal{V}^u$ of random interlacements on $\mathbb{Z}^d$, $d \geq 3$, in the regime of parameters $u>0$ in which it is strongly percolative. By definition, such values of $u$ pinpoint a robust subset of the super-critical phase, with strong quantitative controls on large local clusters. In the present work, we give a new charaterization of this regime in terms of a single property, monotone in $u$, involving a disconnection estimate for $\mathcal{V}^u$. A key aspect is to exhibit a gluing property for large local clusters from this information alone, and a major challenge in this undertaking is the fact that the conditional law of $\mathcal{V}^u$ exhibits degeneracies. As one of the main novelties of this work, the gluing technique we develop to merge large clusters accounts for such effects. In particular, our methods do not rely on the widely assumed finite-energy property, which the set $\mathcal{V}^u$ does not possess. The charaterization we derive plays a decisive role in the proof of a lasting conjecture regarding the coincidence of various critical parameters naturally associated to $\mathcal{V}^u$ in a companion article.

math.PR↗

arXiv2023

Finite range interlacements and couplings

In this article, we consider the interlacement set $\mathcal{I}^u$ at level $u>0$ on $\mathbb{Z}^d$, $d \geq3$, and its finite range version $\mathcal{I}^{u,L}$ for $L >0$, given by the union of the ranges of a Poisson cloud of random walks on $\mathbb{Z}^d$ having intensity $u/L$ and killed after $L$ steps. As $L\to \infty$, the random set $\mathcal{I}^{u,L}$ has a non-trivial (local) limit, which is precisely $\mathcal{I}^u$. A natural question is to understand how the sets $\mathcal{I}^{u,L}$ and $\mathcal{I}^{u}$ can be related, if at all, in such a way that their intersections with a box of large radius $R$ almost coincide. We address this question, which depends sensitively on $R$, by developing couplings allowing for a similar comparison to hold with very high probability for $\mathcal{I}^{u,L}$ and $\mathcal{I}^{{u'},2L}$, with $u' \approx u$. In particular, for the vacant set $\mathcal{V}^u=\mathbb{Z}^d \setminus \mathcal{I}^u$ with values of $u$ near the critical threshold, our couplings remain effective at scales $R \gg \sqrt{L}$, which corresponds to a natural barrier across which the walks of length $L$ comprised in $\mathcal{I}^{u,L}$ de-solidify inside $B_R$, i.e. lose their intrinsic long-range structure to become increasingly "dust-like". These mechanisms are complementary to the solidification effects recently exhibited in arXiv:1706.07229. By iterating the resulting couplings over dyadic scales $L$, the models $\mathcal{I}^{u,L}$ are seen to constitute a stationary finite range approximation of $\mathcal{I}^u$ at large spatial scales near the critical point $u_*$. Among others, these couplings are important ingredients for the characterization of the phase transition for percolation of the vacant sets of random walk and random interlacements in two upcoming companion articles.

math.PR↗

arXiv2023

Fluctuation bounds for symmetric random walks on dynamic environments via Russo-Seymour-Welsh

In this article, we prove a lower bound for the fluctuations of symmetric random walks on dynamic random environments in dimension $1 + 1$ in the perturbative regime where the walker is weakly influenced by the environment. We suppose that the random environment is invariant with respect to translations and reflections, satisfies the FKG inequality and a mild mixing condition. The techniques employed are inspired by percolation theory, including a Russo-Seymour-Welsh (RSW) inequality. To exemplify the generality of our results, we provide two families of fields that satisfy our hypotheses: a class of Gaussian fields and Confetti percolation models.

math.PR↗

arXiv2022

Permissionless Refereed Tournaments

Scalability problems in programmable blockchains have created a strong demand for secure methods that move the bulk of computation outside the blockchain. One of the preferred solutions to this problem involves off-chain computers that compete interactively to prove to the limited blockchain that theirs is the correct result of a given intensive computation. Each off-chain computer spends effort linear on the cost of the computation, while the blockchain adjudicates disputes spending only logarithmic effort. However, this effort is multiplied by the number of competitors, rendering disputes that involve a significant number of parties impractical and susceptible to Sybil attacks. In this paper, we propose a practical dispute resolution algorithm by which a single honest competitor can win disputes while spending effort linear on the cost of the computation, but only logarithmic on the number of dishonest competitors. This algorithm is a novel, stronger primitive for building permissionless fraud-proof protocols, which doesn't rely on complex economic incentives to be enforced.

cs.CR↗

arXiv2021

Cylinders' percolation: decoupling and applications

In this paper we establish a strong decoupling inequality for the cylinder's percolation process introduced by Tykesson and Windisch in arXiv:1010.5338 . This model features a very strong dependency structure, making it difficult to study, and this is why such decoupling inequalities are desirable. It is important to notice that the type of dependencies featured by cylinder's percolation is particularly intricate, given that the cylinders have infinite range (unlike some models like Boolean percolation) while at the same time being rigid bodies (unlike processes such as Random Interlacements). Our work introduces a new notion of fast decoupling, proves that it holds for the model in question and finishes with an application. More precisely, we prove that for a small enough density of cylinders, a random walk on a connected component of the vacant set is transient for all dimensions $d \geq 3$.

math.PR↗

arXiv2021

Percolation phase transition on planar spin systems

In this article we study the continuity and sharpness of the phase transition for percolation models defined on top of planar spin systems. The two examples that we treat in detail concern the Glauber dynamics for the Ising model and a Dynamic Bootstrap process. For both of these models we prove that their phase transition is continuous and sharp, providing also quantitative estimates on the two point connectivity. The techniques that we develop in this work can be applied to a variety of different percolation models based on spin-flip dynamics. We also discuss some of the problems that can be tackled in a similar fashion.

math.PR↗

arXiv2020

Phase transition for percolation on a randomly stretched lattice

Let $\{ξ_i\}_{i \geq 1}$ be a sequence of i.i.d.\ positive random variables. Starting from the usual square lattice replace each horizontal edge that links a site in $i$-th vertical column to another in the $(i+1)$-th vertical column by an edge having length $ξ_i$. Then declare independently each edge $e$ in the resulting lattice open with probability $p_e=p^{|e|}$ where $p\in[0,1]$ and $|e|$ is the length of $e$. We relate the occurrence of nontrivial phase transition for this model to moment properties of $ξ_1$. More precisely, we prove that the model undergoes a nontrivial phase transition when $\mathbb{E}(ξ_1^η)<\infty$, for some $η>1$ whereas, when $\mathbb{E}(ξ_1^η)=\infty$ for some $η<1$, no phase transition occurs.

math.PR↗