Dynamical scaling in Ising and vector spin glasses

We have studied numerically the dynamics of spin glasses with Ising and XY symmetry (gauge glass) in space dimensions 2, 3, and 4. The nonequilibrium spin-glass susceptibility and the nonequilibrium energy per spin of samples of large size L_b are measured as a function of anneal time t_w after a quench to temperatures T. The two observables are compared to the equilibrium spin-glass susceptibility and the equilibrium energy, respectively, measured as functions of temperature T and system size L for a range of system sizes. For any time and temperature a nonequilibrium time-dependent length scale L*(t_w,T) can be defined by comparing equilibrium and nonequilibrium quantities. Our analysis shows that for all systems studied, an "effective dynamical critical exponent" parametrization L*(t_w,T) = A(T) t^(1/z(T)) fits the data well at each temperature within the whole temperature range studied, which extends from well above the critical temperature to near T = 0 for dimension 2, or to well below the critical temperature for the other space dimensions studied. In addition, the data suggest that the dynamical critical exponent z varies smoothly when crossing the transition temperature.Comment: 14 pages, 13 figures, 9 table

Comment on ``Spin-glass transition of the three-dimensional Heisenberg spin glass''

Campos et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 97 (2006) 217204] claim that in the 3d Heisenberg Spin Glass, chiral and spin sector ordering temperatures are identical. We point out that in their analysis of their numerical data key assumptions are made which are unjustified.Comment: published versio

Dynamics in the Sherrington-Kirkpatrick Ising spin glass at and above Tg

A detailed numerical study is made of relaxation at equilibrium in the Sherrington-Kirkpatrick Ising spin glass model, at and above the critical temperature Tg. The data show a long time stretched exponential relaxation q(t) ~ exp[-(t/tau(T))^beta(T)] with an exponent beta(T) tending to ~ 1/3 at Tg. The results are compared to those which were observed by Ogielski in the 3d ISG model, and are discussed in terms of a phase space percolation transition scenario.Comment: 6 pages, 7 figure

Constructing Assessment: An Investigation into the Effectiveness of Online Diagnostic Tests to Assess Linguistic Competence

This research analyses the creation and use of online diagnostic tests to assess the linguistic competence of students at City University London. It examines the choices and approaches to designing this type of test and the effectiveness of the whole assessment process. Moreover, it highlights the importance of creating assessments testing the way learners mainly construct their knowledge regardless of the discipline or subject assessed. Finally the study recommends for the design of online assessments not to be led by the technology but to test the approaches learners use to map their own knowledge