Searcharxiv⌕ Search

arXiv subjects

C. M. Newman

Publications and source records attributed to C. M. Newman.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
arXiv2003

Nonrealistic Behavior of Mean Field Spin Glasses

We study chaotic size dependence of the low temperature correlations in the SK spin glass. We prove that as temperature scales to zero with volume, for any typical coupling realization, the correlations cycle through every spin configuration in every fixed observation window. This cannot happen in short-ranged models as there it would mean that every spin configuration is an infinite-volume ground state. Its occurrence in the SK model means that the commonly used `modified clustering' notion of states sheds little light on the RSB solution of SK, and conversely, the RSB solution sheds little light on the thermodynamic structure of EA models.

cond-mat.dis-nn↗
arXiv2003

Ordering and Broken Symmetry in Short-Ranged Spin Glasses

In this topical review we discuss the nature of the low-temperature phase in both infinite-ranged and short-ranged spin glasses. We analyze the meaning of pure states in spin glasses, and distinguish between physical, or ``observable'', states and (probably) unphysical, ``invisible'' states. We review replica symmetry breaking, and describe what it would mean in short-ranged spin glasses. We introduce the notion of thermodynamic chaos, which leads to the metastate construct. We apply these tools to short-ranged spin glasses, and conclude that replica symmetry breaking, in any form, cannot describe the low-temperature spin glass phase in any finite dimension. We then discuss the remaining possible scenarios that_could_ describe the low-temperature phase, and the differences they exhibit in some of their physical properties -- in particular, the interfaces that separate them. We also present rigorous results on metastable states and discuss their connection to thermodynamic states. Finally, we discuss some of the differences between the statistical mechanics of homogeneous systems and those with quenched disorder and frustration.

cond-mat.dis-nn↗
arXiv2003

The Brownian Web: Characterization and Convergence

The Brownian Web (BW) is the random network formally consisting of the paths of coalescing one-dimensional Brownian motions starting from every space-time point in ${\mathbb R}\times{\mathbb R}$. We extend the earlier work of Arratia and of Tóth and Werner by providing characterization and convergence results for the BW distribution, including convergence of the system of all coalescing random walkssktop/brownian web/finale/arXiv submits/bweb.tex to the BW under diffusive space-time scaling. We also provide characterization and convergence results for the Double Brownian Web, which combines the BW with its dual process of coalescing Brownian motions moving backwards in time, with forward and backward paths ``reflecting'' off each other. For the BW, deterministic space-time points are almost surely of ``type'' $(0,1)$ -- {\em zero} paths into the point from the past and exactly {\em one} path out of the point to the future; we determine the Hausdorff dimension for all types that actually occur: dimension 2 for type $(0,1)$, 3/2 for $(1,1)$ and $(0,2)$, 1 for $(1,2)$, and 0 for $(2,1)$ and $(0,3)$.

math.PR↗
arXiv2002

The Brownian Web

Arratia, and later Tóth and Werner, constructed random processes that formally correspond to coalescing one-dimensional Brownian motions starting from every space-time point. We extend their work by constructing and characterizing what we call the {\em Brownian Web} as a random variable taking values in an appropriate (metric) space whose points are (compact) sets of paths. This leads to general convergence criteria and, in particular, to convergence in distribution of coalescing random walks in the scaling limit to the Brownian Web.

math.PR↗
arXiv2001

The State(s) of Replica Symmetry Breaking: Mean Field Theories vs. Short-Ranged Spin Glasses

We prove the impossibility of recent attempts to decouple the Replica Symmetry Breaking (RSB) picture for finite-dimensional spin glasses from the existence of many thermodynamic (i.e., infinite-volume) pure states while preserving another signature RSB feature --- space filling relative domain walls between different finite-volume states. Thus revisions of the notion of pure states cannot shield the RSB picture from the internal contradictions that rule out its physical correctness in finite dimensions at low temperature in large finite volume.

cond-mat.dis-nn↗
arXiv2001

Are There Incongruent Ground States in 2D Edwards-Anderson Spin Glasses?

We present a detailed proof of a previously announced result (C.M. Newman and D.L. Stein, Phys. Rev. Lett. v. 84, pp. 3966--3969 (2000)) supporting the absence of multiple (incongruent) ground state pairs for 2D Edwards-Anderson spin glasses (with zero external field and, e.g., Gaussian couplings): if two ground state pairs (chosen from metastates with, e.g., periodic boundary conditions) on the infinite square lattice are distinct, then the dual bonds where they differ form a single doubly-infinite, positive-density domain wall. It is an open problem to prove that such a situation cannot occur (or else to show --- much less likely in our opinion --- that it indeed does happen) in these models. Our proof involves an analysis of how (infinite-volume) ground states change as (finitely many) couplings vary, which leads us to a notion of zero-temperature excitation metastates, that may be of independent interest.

cond-mat.dis-nn↗
arXiv2001

Random walks with strongly inhomogeneous rates and singular diffusions: convergence, localization and aging in one dimension

Let $τ= (τ_i : i \in {\Bbb Z})$ denote i.i.d.~positive random variables with common distribution $F$ and (conditional on $τ$) let $X = (X_t : t\geq0, X_0=0)$, be a continuous-time simple symmetric random walk on ${\Bbb Z}$ with inhomogeneous rates $(τ_i^{-1} : i \in {\Bbb Z})$. When $F$ is in the domain of attraction of a stable law of exponent $α<1$ (so that ${\Bbb E}(τ_i) = \infty$ and X is subdiffusive), we prove that $(X,τ)$, suitably rescaled (in space and time), converges to a natural (singular) diffusion $Z = (Z_t : t\geq0, Z_0=0)$ with a random (discrete) speed measure $ρ$. The convergence is such that the ``amount of localization'', $\E \sum_{i \in {\Bbb Z}} [¶(X_t = i|τ)]^2$ converges as $t \to \infty$ to $\E \sum_{z \in {\Bbb R}} [¶(Z_s = z|ρ)]^2 > 0$, which is independent of $s>0$ because of scaling/self-similarity properties of $(Z,ρ)$. The scaling properties of $(Z,ρ)$ are also closely related to the ``aging'' of $(X,τ)$. Our main technical result is a general convergence criterion for localization and aging functionals of diffusions/walks $Y^{(ε)}$ with (nonrandom) speed measures $μ^{(ε)} \to μ$ (in a sufficiently strong sense).

math.PR↗
arXiv2001

Interfaces (and Regional Congruence?) in Spin Glasses

We present a general theorem restricting properties of interfaces between thermodynamic states and apply it to the spin glass excitations observed numerically by Krzakala-Martin and Palassini-Young in spatial dimensions d=3 and 4. We show that such excitations, with interface dimension smaller than d, cannot yield regionally congruent thermodynamic states. More generally, zero density interfaces of translation-covariant excitations cannot be pinned (by the disorder) in any d but rather must deflect to infinity in the thermodynamic limit. Additional consequences concerning regional congruence in spin glasses and other systems are discussed.

cond-mat.dis-nn↗
arXiv2001

1D Aging

We derive exact expressions for a number of aging functions that are scaling limits of non-equilibrium correlations, R(tw,tw+t) as tw --> infinity with t/tw --> theta, in the 1D homogenous q-state Potts model for all q with T=0 dynamics following a quench from infinite temperature. One such quantity is (the two-point, two-time correlation function) when n/sqrt(tw) --> z. Exact, closed-form expressions are also obtained when one or more interludes of infinite temperature dynamics occur. Our derivations express the scaling limit via coalescing Brownian paths and a ``Brownian space-time spanning tree,'' which also yields other aging functions, such as the persistence probability of no spin flip at 0 between tw and tw+t.

cond-mat.dis-nn↗
arXiv2001

Clusters and Recurrence in the Two-Dimensional Zero-Temperature Stochastic Ising Model

We analyze clustering and (local) recurrence of a standard Markov process model of spatial domain coarsening. The continuous time process, whose state space consists of assignments of +1 or -1 to each site in ${\bf Z}^2$, is the zero-temperature limit of the stochastic homogeneous Ising ferromagnet (with Glauber dynamics): the initial state is chosen uniformly at random and then each site, at rate one, polls its 4 neighbors and makes sure it agrees with the majority, or tosses a fair coin in case of a tie. Among the main results (almost sure, with respect to both the process and initial state) are: clusters (maximal domains of constant sign) are finite for times $t< \infty$, but the cluster of a fixed site diverges (in diameter) as $t \to \infty$; each of the two constant states is (positive) recurrent. We also present other results and conjectures concerning positive and null recurrence and the role of absorbing states.

math.PR↗
arXiv2000

Geodesics and Spanning Trees for Euclidean First-Passage Percolation

The metric $D_α(q,q')$ on the set $Q$ of particle locations of a homogeneous Poisson process on $R^d$, defined as the infimum of $(\sum_i |q_i - q_{i+1}|^α)^{1/α}$ over sequences in $Q$ starting with $q$ and ending with $q'$ (where $| . |$ denotes Euclidean distance) has nontrivial geodesics when $α> 1$. The cases $1 <α< \infty$ are the Euclidean first-passage percolation (FPP) models introduced earlier by the authors while the geodesics in the case $α= \infty$ are exactly the paths from the Euclidean minimal spanning trees/forests of Aldous and Steele. We compare and contrast results and conjectures for these two situations. New results for $1 < α< \infty$ (and any $d$) include inequalities on the fluctuation exponents for the metric ($χ\le 1/2$) and for the geodesics ($ξ\le 3/4$) in strong enough versions to yield conclusions not yet obtained for lattice FPP: almost surely, every semi-infinite geodesic has an asymptotic direction and every direction has a semi-infinite geodesic (from every $q$). For $d=2$ and $2 le α< \infty$, further results follow concerning spanning trees of semi-infinite geodesics and related random surfaces.

math.PR↗
arXiv2000

Zero-Temperature Dynamics of Plus/Minus J Spin Glasses and Related Models

We study zero-temperature, stochastic Ising models sigma(t) on a d-dimensional cubic lattice with (disordered) nearest-neighbor couplings independently chosen from a distribution mu on R and an initial spin configuration chosen uniformly at random. Given d, call mu type I (resp., type F) if, for every x in the lattice, sigma(x,t) flips infinitely (resp., only finitely) many times as t goes to infinity (with probability one) --- or else mixed type M. Models of type I and M exhibit a zero-temperature version of ``local non-equilibration''. For d=1, all types occur and the type of any mu is easy to determine. The main result of this paper is a proof that for d=2, plus/minus J models (where each coupling is independently chosen to be +J with probability alpha and -J with probability 1-alpha) are type M, unlike homogeneous models (type I) or continuous (finite mean) mu's (type F). We also prove that all other noncontinuous disordered systems are type M for any d greater than or equal to 2. The plus/minus J proof is noteworthy in that it is much less ``local'' than the other (simpler) proof. Homogeneous and plus/minus J models for d greater than or equal to 3 remain an open problem.

cond-mat.dis-nn↗
arXiv2000

Realistic spin glasses below eight dimensions: a highly disordered view

By connecting realistic spin glass models at low temperature to the highly disordered model at zero temperature, we argue that ordinary Edwards-Anderson spin glasses below eight dimensions have at most a single pair of physically relevant pure states at nonzero low temperature. Less likely scenarios that evade this conclusion are also discussed.

cond-mat.dis-nn↗
arXiv2000

Nature of Ground State Incongruence in Two-Dimensional Spin Glasses

We rigorously rule out the appearance of multiple domain walls between ground states in 2D Edwards-Anderson Ising spin glasses (with periodic boundary conditions and, e.g., Gaussian couplings). This supports the conjecture that there is only a single pair of ground states in these models.

cond-mat.dis-nn↗
arXiv1999

Zero-Temperature Dynamics of Ising Spin Systems Following a Deep Quench: Results and Open Problems

We consider zero-temperature, stochastic Ising models with nearest-neighbor interactions and an initial spin configuration chosen from a symmetric Bernoulli distribution (corresponding physically to a deep quench). Whether a final state exists, i.e., whether each spin flips only finitely many times as time goes to infinity (for almost every initial spin configuration and realization of the dynamics), or if not, whether every spin - or only a fraction strictly less than one - flips infinitely often, depends on the nature of the couplings, the dimension, and the lattice type. We review results, examine open questions, and discuss related topics.

cond-mat.dis-nn↗
arXiv1999

Metastable States in Spin Glasses and Disordered Ferromagnets

We study analytically M-spin-flip stable states in disordered short-ranged Ising models (spin glasses and ferromagnets) in all dimensions and for all M. Our approach is primarily dynamical and is based on the convergence of a zero-temperature dynamical process with flips of lattice animals up to size M and starting from a deep quench, to a metastable limit. The results (rigorous and nonrigorous, in infinite and finite volumes) concern many aspects of metastable states: their numbers, basins of attraction, energy densities, overlaps, remanent magnetizations and relations to thermodynamic states. For example, we show that their overlap distribution is a delta-function at zero. We also define a dynamics for M=infinity, which provides a potential tool for investigating ground state structure.

cond-mat.dis-nn↗