Analysis of spanning avalanches in the two-dimensional nonequilibrium zero-temperature random-field Ising model

Abstract

We present a numerical analysis of spanning avalanches in a two-dimensional (2D) nonequilibrium zero-temperature random field Ising model. Finite-size scaling analysis, performed for distribution of the average number of spanning avalanches per single run, spanning avalanche size distribution, average size of spanning avalanche, and contribution of spanning avalanches to magnetization jump, is augmented by analysis of spanning field (i.e., field triggering spanning avalanche), which enabled us to collapse averaged magnetization curves below critical disorder. Our study, based on extensive simulations of sufficiently large systems, reveals the dominant role of subcritical 2D-spanning avalanches in model behavior below and at the critical disorder. Other types of avalanches influence finite systems, but their contribution for large systems remains small or vanish. © 2014 American Physical Society.