arXiv subjects

R. Kenna

Publications and source records attributed to R. Kenna.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

arXiv2005

Properties of phase transitions of higher order

There is only limited experimental evidence for the existence in nature of phase transitions of Ehrenfest order greater than two. However, there is no physical reason for their non-existence, and such transitions certainly exist in a number of theoretical models in statistical physics and lattice field theory. Here, higher-order transitions are analysed through the medium of partition function zeros. Results concerning the distributions of zeros are derived as are scaling relations between some of the critical exponents.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2005

Properties of Higher-Order Phase Transitions

Experimental evidence for the existence of strictly higher-order phase transitions (of order three or above in the Ehrenfest sense) is tenuous at best. However, there is no known physical reason why such transitions should not exist in nature. Here, higher-order transitions characterized by both discontinuities and divergences are analysed through the medium of partition function zeros. Properties of the distributions of zeros are derived, certain scaling relations are recovered, and new ones are presented.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2004

The Grand-Canonical Asymmetric Exclusion Process and the One-Transit Walk

The one-dimensional Asymmetric Exclusion Process (ASEP) is a paradigm for nonequilibrium dynamics, in particular driven diffusive processes. It is usually considered in a canonical ensemble in which the number of sites is fixed. We observe that the grand-canonical partition function for the ASEP is remarkably simple. It allows a simple direct derivation of the asymptotics of the canonical normalization in various phases and of the correspondence with One-Transit Walks recently observed by Brak et.al.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2004

Dyck Paths, Motzkin Paths and Traffic Jams

It has recently been observed that the normalization of a one-dimensional out-of-equilibrium model, the Asymmetric Exclusion Process (ASEP) with random sequential dynamics, is exactly equivalent to the partition function of a two-dimensional lattice path model of one-transit walks, or equivalently Dyck paths. This explains the applicability of the Lee-Yang theory of partition function zeros to the ASEP normalization. In this paper we consider the exact solution of the parallel-update ASEP, a special case of the Nagel-Schreckenberg model for traffic flow, in which the ASEP phase transitions can be intepreted as jamming transitions, and find that Lee-Yang theory still applies. We show that the parallel-update ASEP normalization can be expressed as one of several equivalent two-dimensional lattice path problems involving weighted Dyck or Motzkin paths. We introduce the notion of thermodynamic equivalence for such paths and show that the robustness of the general form of the ASEP phase diagram under various update dynamics is a consequence of this thermodynamic equivalence.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2004

Finite Size Scaling for O(N) phi^4-Theory at the Upper Critical Dimension

A finite size scaling theory for the partition function zeros and thermodynamic functions of O(N) phi^4-theory in four dimensions is derived from renormalization group methods. The leading scaling behaviour is mean-field like with multiplicative logarithmic corrections which are linked to the triviality of the theory. These logarithmic corrections are independent of N for odd thermodynamic quantities and associated zeros and are N dependent for the even ones. Thus a numerical study of finite size scaling in the Ising model serves as a non-perturbative test of triviality of phi^4_4-theories for all N.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2004

Phase Transition Strength through Densities of General Distributions of Zeroes

A recently developed technique for the determination of the density of partition function zeroes using data coming from finite-size systems is extended to deal with cases where the zeroes are not restricted to a curve in the complex plane and/or come in degenerate sets. The efficacy of the approach is demonstrated by application to a number of models for which these features are manifest and the zeroes are readily calculable.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2004

Information Geometry and Phase Transitions

The introduction of a metric onto the space of parameters in models in Statistical Mechanics and beyond gives an alternative perspective on their phase structure. In such a geometrization, the scalar curvature, R, plays a central role. A non-interacting model has a flat geometry (R=0), while R diverges at the critical point of an interacting one. Here, the information geometry is studied for a number of solvable statistical-mechanical models.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2003

Information Geometry, One, Two, Three (and Four)

Although the notion of entropy lies at the core of statistical mechanics, it is not often used in statistical mechanical models to characterize phase transitions, a role more usually played by quantities such as various order parameters, specific heats or suscept ibilities. The relative entropy induces a metric, the so-called information or Fisher-Rao m etric, on the space of parameters and the geometrical invariants of this metric carry information about the phase structure of the model. In various models the scalar curvature, ${\cal R}$, of the information metric has been found to diverge at the phase transition point and a plausible scaling relation postulated. For spin models the necessity of calculating in non-zero field has limited analytic consideration to one-dimensional, mean-field and Bethe lattice Ising models. We report on previous papers in which we extended the list somewhat in the current note by considering the {\it one}-dime nsional Potts model, the {\it two}-dimensional Ising model coupled to two-dimensional quantum gravity and the {\it three}-dimensional spherical model. We note that similar ideas have been ap plied to elucidate possible critical behaviour in families of black hole solutions in {\it four} space-time dimensions.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2002

The Information Geometry of the Spherical Model

Motivated by previous observations that geometrizing statistical mechanics offers an interesting alternative to more standard approaches,we have recently calculated the curvature (the fundamental object in this approach) of the information geometry metric for the Ising model on an ensemble of planar random graphs. The standard critical exponents for this model are alpha=-1, beta=1/2, gamma=2 and we found that the scalar curvature, R, behaves as epsilon^(-2),where epsilon = beta_c - beta is the distance from criticality. This contrasts with the naively expected R ~ epsilon^(-3) and the apparent discrepancy was traced back to the effect of a negative alpha on the scaling of R. Oddly,the set of standard critical exponents is shared with the 3D spherical model. In this paper we calculate the scaling behaviour of R for the 3D spherical model, again finding that R ~ epsilon^(-2), coinciding with the scaling behaviour of the Ising model on planar random graphs. We also discuss briefly the scaling of R in higher dimensions, where mean-field behaviour sets in.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2002

The Information Geometry of the One-Dimensional Potts Model

In various statistical-mechanical models the introduction of a metric onto the space of parameters (e.g. the temperature variable, $β$, and the external field variable, $h$, in the case of spin models) gives an alternative perspective on the phase structure. For the one-dimensional Ising model the scalar curvature, ${\cal R}$, of this metric can be calculated explicitly in the thermodynamic limit and is found to be ${\cal R} = 1 + \cosh (h) / \sqrt{\sinh^2 (h) + \exp (- 4 β)}$. This is positive definite and, for physical fields and temperatures, diverges only at the zero-temperature, zero-field ``critical point'' of the model. In this note we calculate ${\cal R}$ for the one-dimensional $q$-state Potts model, finding an expression of the form ${\cal R} = A(q,β,h) + B (q,β,h)/\sqrt{η(q,β,h)}$, where $η(q,β,h)$ is the Potts analogue of $\sinh^2 (h) + \exp (- 4 β)$. This is no longer positive definite, but once again it diverges only at the critical point in the space of real parameters. We remark, however, that a naive analytic continuation to complex field reveals a further divergence in the Ising and Potts curvatures at the Lee-Yang edge.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2001

Exact Finite-Size Scaling and Corrections to Scaling in the Ising Model with Brascamp-Kunz Boundary Conditions

The Ising model in two dimensions with the special boundary conditions of Brascamp and Kunz is analysed. Leading and sub-dominant scaling behaviour of the Fisher zeroes are determined exactly. The finite-size scaling, with corrections, of the specific heat is determined both at the critical and pseudocritical points. The shift exponents associated with scaling of the pseudocritical points are not the same as the inverse correlation length critical exponent. All corrections to scaling are analytic.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv2001

The Weakly Coupled Gross-Neveu Model with Wilson Fermions

The nature of the phase transition in the lattice Gross-Neveu model with Wilson fermions is investigated using a new analytical technique. This involves a new type of weak coupling expansion which focuses on the partition function zeroes of the model. Its application to the single flavour Gross-Neveu model yields a phase diagram whose structure is consistent with that predicted from a saddle point approach. The existence of an Aoki phase is confirmed and its width in the weakly coupled region is determined. Parity, rather than chiral symmetry breaking naturally emerges as the driving mechanism for the phase transition.

hep-lat↗

arXiv2001

The Structure of the Aoki Phase at Weak Coupling

A new method to determine the phase diagram of certain lattice fermionic field theories in the weakly coupled regime is presented. This method involves a new type of weak coupling expansion which is multiplicative rather than additive in nature and allows perturbative calculation of partition function zeroes. Application of the method to the single flavour Gross-Neveu model gives a phase diagram consistent with the parity symmetry breaking scenario of Aoki and provides new quantitative information on the width of the Aoki phase in the weakly coupled sector.

hep-lat↗

arXiv1999

The Phase Diagrams of the Schwinger and Gross-Neveu Models with Wilson Fermions

A new method to analytically determine the partition function zeroes of weakly coupled theories on finite-size lattices is developed. Applied to the lattice Schwinger model, this reveals the possible absence of a phase transition at fixed weak coupling. We show how finite-size scaling techniques on small or moderate lattice sizes may mimic the presence of a spurious phase transition. Application of our method to the Gross-Neveu model yields a phase diagram consistent with that coming from a saddle point analysis.

hep-lat↗

arXiv1998

The Phase Structure of the Weakly Coupled Lattice Schwinger Model

The weak coupling expansion is applied to the single flavour Schwinger model with Wilson fermions on a symmetric toroidal lattice of finite extent. We develop a new analytic method which permits the expression of the partition function as a product of pure gauge expectation values whose zeroes are the Lee-Yang zeroes of the model. Application of standard finite-size scaling techniques to these zeroes recovers previous numerical results for the small and moderate lattice sizes to which those studies were restricted. Our techniques, employable for arbitrarily large lattices, reveal the absence of accumulation of these zeroes on the real hopping parameter axis at constant weak gauge coupling. The consequence of this previously unobserved behaviour is the absence of a zero fermion mass phase transition in the Schwinger model with single flavour Wilson fermions at constant weak gauge coupling.

hep-lat↗

arXiv1997

Fisher Zeroes and Singular Behaviour of the Two Dimensional Potts Model in the Thermodynamic Limit

The duality transformation is applied to the Fisher zeroes near the ferromagnetic critical point in the q>4 state two dimensional Potts model. A requirement that the locus of the duals of the zeroes be identical to the dual of the locus of zeroes in the thermodynamic limit (i) recovers the ratio of specific heat to internal energy discontinuity at criticality and the relationships between the discontinuities of higher cumulants and (ii) identifies duality with complex conjugation. Conjecturing that all zeroes governing ferromagnetic singular behaviour satisfy the latter requirement gives the full locus of such Fisher zeroes to be a circle. This locus, together with the density of zeroes is then shown to be sufficient to recover the singular form of the thermodynamic functions in the thermodynamic limit.

cond-mat.stat-mech↗

arXiv1996

The Kosterlitz-Thouless Universality Class

We examine the Kosterlitz-Thouless universality class and show that essential scaling at this type of phase transition is not self-consistent unless multiplicative logarithmic corrections are included. In the case of specific heat these logarithmic corrections are identified analytically. To identify those corresponding to the susceptibility we set up a numerical method involving the finite-size scaling of Lee-Yang zeroes. We also study the density of zeroes and introduce a new concept called index scaling. We apply the method to the XY-model and the closely related step model in two dimensions. The critical parameters (including logarithmic corrections) of the step model are compatable with those of the XY-model indicating that both models belong to the same universality class. This result then raises questions over how a vortex binding scenario can be the driving mechanism for the phase transition. Furthermore, the logarithmic corrections identified numerically by our methods of fitting are not in agreement with the renormalization group predictions of Kosterlitz and Thouless.

hep-lat↗

arXiv1996

Critical Behaviour of the Two Dimensional Step Model

We use finite--size scaling of Lee--Yang partition function zeroes to study the critical behaviour of the two dimensional step or sgn $O(2)$ model. We present evidence that, like the closely related $XY$--model, this has a phase transition from a disordered high temperature phase to a low temperature massless phase where the model remains critical. The critical parameters (including logarithmic corrections) are compatible with those of the $XY$--model indicating that both models belong to the same universality class.

hep-lat↗