Avalanches in disordered systems

The idea of systems that evolve via avalanches is a simple, yet powerful one. A collection of elements that interact with one another, with each element possessing the ability to change the state of other elements when it undergoes a change. These other newly changed elements may affect yet more, and in this way a single initial event can trigger a cascade of activity. I apply the ideas of non-equilibrium, avalanching models with quenched disorder to three different sys- tems. The first system is the neuronal network in in vitro rat cortex; neurons generate electrical impulses that travel along axons and dendrites to potentiall influence the behavior of other neurons. The second sys- tem is the deformation characteristics of nanoscale metallic pillars; increasing stress dislodges dislocations which interact elastically with other dislocations. The third system the random field Ising model, with the twist of introducing long range correlations in the quenched disorder. The differing nature of the systems emphasizes the very strong utility of these models, that are very simple, yet enable powerful statistical predictions about a wide range of systems.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Physics

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2013

Author dc:creator

• Friedman, Nir

Contributors dc:contributor

• Dahmen, Karin A.
• Oono, Yoshitsugu
• Selvin, Paul R.
• Weissman, Michael B.

• physics
• statistics
• avalanches
• non equilibrium
• neurons
• networks
• Nanocrystals
• random field Ising model
• correlated disorder

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2013 Nir Friedman. All rights reserved.

Language dc:language

en

Handle dc:identifier

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/45523

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/45523