Percolation [Paperback]

Percolation theory is the study of an idealized random medium in two or more dimensions. The mathematical theory is mature, and continues to give rise to problems of special beauty and difficulty. Percolation is pivotal for studying more complex physical systems exhibiting phase transitions. The emphasis of this book is upon core mathematical material and the presentation of the shortest and most accessible proofs. The book is intended for graduate students and researchers in probability and mathematical physics. Almost no specialist knowledge is assumed. Much new material appears in this second edition, including: dynamic and static renormalization, strict inequalities between critical points, a sketch of the lace expansion, and several essays on related fields and applications.1 What is Percolation?.- 2 Some Basic Techniques.- 3 Critical Probabilities.- 4 The Number of Open Clusters per Vertex.- 5 Exponential Decay.- 6 The Subcritical Phase.- 7 Dynamic and Static Renormalization.- 8 The Supercritical Phase.- 9 Near the Critical Point: Scaling Theory.- 10 Near the Critical Point: Rigorous Results.- 11 Bond Percolation in Two Dimensions.- 12 Extensions of Percolation.- 13 Percolative Systems.- Appendix I. The Infinite-Volume Limit for Percolation.- Appendix II. The Subadditive Inequality.- List of Notation.- References.- Index of Names.Percolation theory is the study of an idealized random medium in two or more dimensions. It is a cornerstone of the theory of spatial stochastic processes with applications in such fields as statistical physics, epidemiology, and the spread of populations. Percolation plays a pivotal role in studying more complex systems exhibiting phase transition. The mathematical theory is mature, but continues to give rise to problems of special beauty and difficulty. The emphasis of this book is upon core mathematical material and the presentation of the shortest and most accessible proofs. The book is intended for graduate students and researcheló