14,336 research outputs found
Point configurations that are asymmetric yet balanced
A configuration of particles confined to a sphere is balanced if it is in
equilibrium under all force laws (that act between pairs of points with
strength given by a fixed function of distance). It is straightforward to show
that every sufficiently symmetrical configuration is balanced, but the converse
is far from obvious. In 1957 Leech completely classified the balanced
configurations in R^3, and his classification is equivalent to the converse for
R^3. In this paper we disprove the converse in high dimensions. We construct
several counterexamples, including one with trivial symmetry group.Comment: 10 page
Phase transitions in Pareto optimal complex networks
The organization of interactions in complex systems can be described by
networks connecting different units. These graphs are useful representations of
the local and global complexity of the underlying systems. The origin of their
topological structure can be diverse, resulting from different mechanisms
including multiplicative processes and optimization. In spatial networks or in
graphs where cost constraints are at work, as it occurs in a plethora of
situations from power grids to the wiring of neurons in the brain, optimization
plays an important part in shaping their organization. In this paper we study
network designs resulting from a Pareto optimization process, where different
simultaneous constraints are the targets of selection. We analyze three
variations on a problem finding phase transitions of different kinds. Distinct
phases are associated to different arrangements of the connections; but the
need of drastic topological changes does not determine the presence, nor the
nature of the phase transitions encountered. Instead, the functions under
optimization do play a determinant role. This reinforces the view that phase
transitions do not arise from intrinsic properties of a system alone, but from
the interplay of that system with its external constraints.Comment: 14 pages, 7 figure
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