Comment on ``Two Time Scales and Violation of the Fluctuation-Dissipation Theorem in a Finite Dimensional Model for Structural Glasses''

In cond-mat/0002074 Ricci-Tersenghi et al. find two linear regimes in the fluctuation-dissipation relation between density-density correlations and associated responses of the Frustrated Ising Lattice Gas. Here we show that this result does not seem to correspond to the equilibrium quantities of the model, by measuring the overlap distribution P(q) of the density and comparing the FDR expected on the ground of the P(q) with the one measured in the off-equilibrium experiments.Comment: RevTeX, 1 page, 2 eps figures, Comment on F. Ricci-Tersenghi et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 84, 4473 (2000

Memory effects in response functions of driven vortex matter

Vortex flow in driven type II superconductors shows strong memory and history dependent effects. Here, we study a schematic microscopic model of driven vortices to propose a scenario for a broad set of these kind of phenomena ranging from ``rejuvenation'' and ``stiffening'' of the system response, to ``memory'' and ``irreversibility'' in I-V characteristics

Logarithmic Relaxations in a Random Field Lattice Gas Subject to Gravity

A simple lattice gas model with random fields and gravity is introduced to describe a system of grains moving in a disordered environment. Off equilibrium relaxations of bulk density and its two time correlation functions are numerically found to show logarithmic time dependences and "aging" effects. Similitudes with dry granular media are stressed. The connections with off equilibrium dynamics in others kinds of "frustrated" lattice models in presence of a directional driving force (gravity) are discussed to single out the appearance of universal features in the relaxation process.Comment: 15 pages, latex, 7 figures include

Dynamical response functions in models of vibrated granular media

In recently introduced schematic lattice gas models for vibrated dry granular media, we study the dynamical response of the system to small perturbations of shaking amplitudes and its relations with the characteristic fluctuations. Strong off equilibrium features appear and a generalized version of the fluctuation dissipation theorem is introduced. The relations with thermal glassy systems and the role of Edwards' compactivity are discussed.Comment: 12 pages, 2 postscript figure

The jamming transition of Granular Media

We briefly review the basics ideas and results of a recently proposed statistical mechanical approach to granular materials. Using lattice models from standard Statistical Mechanics and results from a mean field replica approach and Monte Carlo simulations we find a jamming transition in granular media closely related to the glass transition in super-cooled liquids. These models reproduce the logarithmic relaxation in granular compaction and reversible-irreversible lines, in agreement with experimental data. The models also exhibit aging effects and breakdown of the usual fluctuation dissipation relation. It is shown that the glass transition may be responsible for the logarithmic relaxation and may be related to the cooperative effects underlying many phenomena of granular materials such as the Reynolds transition.Comment: 18 pages with 6 postscript figures. to appear in J.Phys: Cond. Ma

Vortices Clustering: The Origin of the Second Peak in the Magnetisation Loops of High Temperature Superconductors

We study vortex clustering in type II Superconductors. We demonstrate that the ``second peak'' observed in magnetisation loops may be a dynamical effect associated with a density driven instability of the vortex system. At the microscopic level the instability shows up as the clustering of individual vortices at (rare) preferential regions of the pinning potential. In the limit of quasi-static ramping the instability is related to a phase transition in the equilibrium vortex system.Comment: 11 pages + 3 figure

Off equilibrium magnetic properties in a model for vortices in superconductors

We study the properties of a simple lattice model of repulsive particles diffusing in a pinning landscape. The behaviour of the model is very similar to the observed physics of vortices in superconductors. We compare and discuss the equilibrium phase diagram, creep dynamics, the Bean state profiles, hysteresis of magnetisation loops (including the second peak feature), and, in particular, ``off equilibrium'' relaxations. The model is analytically tractable in replica mean field theory and numerically via Monte Carlo simulations. It offers a comprehensive schematic framework of the observed phenomenology

Aging and memory phenomena in magnetic and transport properties of vortex matter: a brief review

There is mounting experimental evidence that strong off-equilibrium phenomena, such as ``memory'' or ``aging'' effects, play a crucial role in the physics of vortices in type II superconductors. We give a short review, based on a recently introduced schematic vortex model, of current progresses in understanding out of equilibrium vortex behaviours. We develop a unified description of ``memory'' phenomena in magnetic and transport properties, such as magnetisation loops and their ``anomalous'' 2nd peak, logarithmic creep, ``anomalous'' finite creep rate in the limit of vanishing temperature, ``memory'' and ``irreversibility'' in I-V characteristics, time dependent critical currents, ``rejuvenation'' and ``aging'' of the system response.Comment: updated versio

Force correlations and arches formation in granular assemblies

In the context of a simple microscopic schematic scalar model we study the effects of spatial correlations in force transmission in granular assemblies. We show that the parameters of the normalized weights distribution function, $P(v)\sim v^{\alpha}\exp(-v/\phi)$, strongly depend on the spatial extensions, $\xi_V$, of such correlations. We show, then, the connections between measurable macroscopic quantities and microscopic mechanisms enhancing correlations. In particular we evaluate how the exponential cut-off, $\phi(\xi_V)$, and the small forces power law exponent, $\alpha(\xi_V)$, depend on the correlation length, $\xi_V$. If correlations go to infinity, weights are power law distributed.Comment: 6 page

Thermodynamics and statistical mechanics of frozen systems in inherent states

We discuss a Statistical Mechanics approach in the manner of Edwards to the ``inherent states'' (defined as the stable configurations in the potential energy landscape) of glassy systems and granular materials. We show that at stationarity the inherent states are distributed according a generalized Gibbs measure obtained assuming the validity of the principle of maximum entropy, under suitable constraints. In particular we consider three lattice models (a diluted Spin Glass, a monodisperse hard-sphere system under gravity and a hard-sphere binary mixture under gravity) undergoing a schematic ``tap dynamics'', showing via Monte Carlo calculations that the time average of macroscopic quantities over the tap dynamics and over such a generalized distribution coincide. We also discuss about the general validity of this approach to non thermal systems.Comment: 10 pages, 16 figure