Heterogeneities in Aging Models of Granular Compaction

Kinetically constrained models (KCM) are systems with trivial thermodynamics but often complex dynamical behavior due to constraints on the accessible paths followed by the system. Exploring these properties, the Kob-Andersen (KA) model was introduced to study the slow dynamics of glass forming liquids and later extended to granular materials. In this last context, we present new results on the heterogeneous character of both in and out of equilibrium dynamics, further stretching the granular-glass analogy.Comment: Final version appearing on the Proceedings of the IV Brazilian Meeting on Simulational Physics (Ouro Preto

The Blume-Emery-Griffiths Spin Glass Model

We study the equilibrium properties of the Blume-Emery-Griffiths model with bilinear quenched disorder in the case of attractive as well as repulsive biquadratic interactions. The global phase diagram of the system is calculated in the context of the replica symmetric mean field approximation.Comment: 22 pages and 9 figures. REVTeX. To appear on Journal de Physiqu

Rumor propagation meets skepticism: a parallel with zombies

We propose a model of rumor spreading in which susceptible, but skeptically oriented individuals may oppose the rumor. Resistance may be implemented either by skeptical activists trying to convince spreaders to stop their activity, becoming stiflers or, passively (non-reactive) as a consequence, for example, of fact-checking. Interestingly, these two mechanisms, when combined, are similar to the (assumed) spreading of a fictitious zombie outbreak, where survivors actively target infected people. We analyse the well-mixed (mean-field) description and obtain the conditions for rumors (zombies) to spread through the whole population. The results show that when the skepticism is strong enough, the model predicts the coexistence of two fixed points (such bistability may be related to polarized situations), with the fate of rumors depending on the initial exposure to it

Off equilibrium dynamics of the Frustrated Ising Lattice Gas

We study by means of Monte Carlo simulations the off equilibrium properties of a model glass, the Frustrated Ising Lattice Gas (FILG) in three dimensions. We have computed typical two times quantities, like density-density autocorrelations and the autocorrelation of internal degrees of freedom. We find an aging scenario particularly interesting in the case of the density autocorrelations in real space which is very reminiscent of spin glass phenomenology. While this model captures the essential features of structural glass dynamics, its analogy with spin glasses may bring the possibility of its complete description using the tools developed in spin glass theory.Comment: Phys. Rev. E (Rapid Communication), 1999 (probably May

Equilibrium properties of the Ising frustrated lattice gas

We study the equilibrium properties of an Ising frustrated lattice gas with a mean field replica approach. This model bridges usual {\em Spin Glasses} and a version of {\em Frustrated Percolation} model, and has proven relevant to describe the glass transition. It shows a rich phase diagram which in a definite limit reduces to the known Sherrington-Kirkpatrick spin glass model.Comment: To appear in J.Physique I (september 96). All figures included in an one-page postscript fil

Simple Model for Attraction between Like-Charged Polyions

We present a simple model for the possible mechanism of appearance of attraction between like charged polyions inside a polyelectrolyte solution. The attraction is found to be short ranged, and exists only in presence of multivalent counterions. The attraction is produced by the correlations in the condensed layers of counterions surrounding each polyion, and appears only if the number of condensed counterions exceeds the threshold, $n > Z/2 \alpha$, where $\alpha$ is the valence of counterions and $Z$ is the polyion charge.Comment: 4 pages, 4 eps figures, also available at http://www.if.ufrgs.br/~arenzon Figure added and a more detailed discussion of conclusion

Kosterlitz-Thouless and Potts transitions in a generalized XY model

We present extensive numerical simulations of a generalized XY model with nematic-like terms recently proposed by Poderoso {\it et al} [PRL 106(2011)067202]. Using finite size scaling and focusing on the $q=3$ case, we locate the transitions between the paramagnetic (P), the nematic-like (N) and the ferromagnetic (F) phases. The results are compared with the recently derived lower bounds for the P-N and P-F transitions. While the P-N transition is found to be very close to the lower bound, the P-F transition occurs significantly above the bound. Finally, the transition between the nematic-like and the ferromagnetic phases is found to belong to the 3-states Potts universality class.Comment: Extended and updated version of arXiv:1207.3447v