Dynamical Selection of Critical Exponents

Kay Jörg Wiese
CNRS-Laboratoire de Physique Théorique de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure, PSL Research University, 24 rue Lhomond, 75005 Paris, France.
PSL Research University, 62 bis Rue Gay-Lussac, 75005 Paris, France.

Abstract

In renormalized field theories there are in general one or few fixed points which are accessible by the renormalization-group flow. They can be identified from the fixed-point equations. Exceptionally, an infinite family of fixed points exists, parameterized by a scaling exponent $\zeta$, itself function of a non-renormalizing parameter. Here we report a different scenario with an infinite family of fixed points of which seemingly only one is chosen by the renormalization-group flow. This dynamical selection takes place in systems with an attractive interaction ${\cal V}(\phi)$, as in standard $\phi^4$ theory, but where the potential $\cal V$ at large $\phi$ goes to zero, as e.g. the attraction by a defect.


arXiv:1602.00601 [pdf]
Phys. Rev. E 93 (2016) 042105 [pdf]


Copyright (C) by Kay Wiese. Last edited April 26, 2016.