Phase Transitions, Scale Invariance, Renormalization Group Theory, and Percolation

Raj K. Pathria

James P. Sethna

Abstract This chapter analyzes systems with emergent scale invariance -- fractal, self-similar behavior -- by developing the renormalization group. The renormalization group is an amazing abstraction. It describes the flow of the laws governing the system as one coarse-grains -- blurring out the short-distance or short-time details. In the huge space of possible systems (experimental and theoretical), a fixed point of the renormalization group will be the same after blurring and shrinking -- implying emergent scale invariance, a fractal self-similarity. The points which flow into the fixed point share its properties under rescaling -- implying universality, with behavior shared by theory and a wide variety of different experimental systems. The renormalization group also predicts universal power laws and universal functions, describing all behavior on long length and/or time scales. Exercises explore applications to the Ising model, the onset of lasing, superconductors, the onset of chaos, percolation, crackling noise and avalanches, earthquakes, random walks and diffusion, chemical reaction rate theory, and extreme value statistics.

Hans-Karl Janssen, Uwe Claus Täuber

We review the field theory approach to percolation processes. Specifically, we focus on the so-called simple and general epidemic processes that display continuous nonequilibrium active to absorbing state phase transitions whose asymptotic features are governed respectively by the directed (DP) and dynamic isotropic percolation (dIP) universality classes. We discuss the construction of a field theory representation for these Markovian stochastic processes based on fundamental phenomenological considerations, as well as from a specific microscopic reaction-diffusion model realization. Subsequently we explain how dynamic renormalization group (RG) methods can be applied to obtain the universal properties near the critical point in an expansion about the upper critical dimensions dc = 4 (DP) and 6 (dIP). We provide a detailed overview of results for critical exponents, scaling functions, crossover phenomena, finite-size scaling, and also briefly comment on the influence of long-range spreading, the presence of a boundary, multispecies generalizations, coupling of the order parameter to other conserved modes, and quenched disorder. Key words: Percolation, epidemic processes, directed percolation, dynamic isotropic percolation, active to absorbing phase transitions, renormalization group theory, dynamic critical phenomena, crossover

R.K. Pathria, Paul D. Beale

Rick J. Creswick, Horácio A. Farach, Charles P. Poole

Self-Similarity and Scale Invariance. Renormalization Group Approach to Chaos. Renormalization Approach to Percolation. Renormalization Group and Critical Phenomena. The Ising Model. Renormalization Group for the Ising Model. Other Real-Space Renormalization Group Methods for the Ising Model. Mean Field Theory and the Gaussian Fixed Point. The epsis Expansion. The Spherical Model and the 1/n Expansion. The Two-Dimensional X-Y Model and the Kosterlitz-Thouless Transition. Appendices. Author Index. Subject Index.

Raj K. Pathria, Paul D. Beale