skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Macroscopic control parameter for avalanche models for bursty transport

Abstract

Similarity analysis is used to identify the control parameter R{sub A} for the subset of avalanching systems that can exhibit self-organized criticality (SOC). This parameter expresses the ratio of driving to dissipation. The transition to SOC, when the number of excited degrees of freedom is maximal, is found to occur when R{sub A}{yields}0. This is in the opposite sense to (Kolmogorov) turbulence, thus identifying a deep distinction between turbulence and SOC and suggesting an observable property that could distinguish them. A corollary of this similarity analysis is that SOC phenomenology, that is, power law scaling of avalanches, can persist for finite R{sub A} with the same R{sub A}{yields}0 exponent if the system supports a sufficiently large range of lengthscales, necessary for SOC to be a candidate for physical (R{sub A} finite) systems.

Authors:
;  [1];  [2]
  1. Centre for Fusion, Space and Astrophysics, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL (United Kingdom)
  2. Physical Sciences Division, British Antarctic Survey (NERC), Cambridge CB3 0ET (United Kingdom)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
21272451
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Physics of Plasmas
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 16; Journal Issue: 1; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.3057392; (c) 2009 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 1070-664X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSICS; AVALANCHE QUENCHING; CONTROL; DISSIPATION FACTOR; PLASMA; TURBULENCE

Citation Formats

Chapman, S C, Rowlands, G, and Watkins, N W. Macroscopic control parameter for avalanche models for bursty transport. United States: N. p., 2009. Web. doi:10.1063/1.3057392.
Chapman, S C, Rowlands, G, & Watkins, N W. Macroscopic control parameter for avalanche models for bursty transport. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3057392
Chapman, S C, Rowlands, G, and Watkins, N W. 2009. "Macroscopic control parameter for avalanche models for bursty transport". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3057392.
@article{osti_21272451,
title = {Macroscopic control parameter for avalanche models for bursty transport},
author = {Chapman, S C and Rowlands, G and Watkins, N W},
abstractNote = {Similarity analysis is used to identify the control parameter R{sub A} for the subset of avalanching systems that can exhibit self-organized criticality (SOC). This parameter expresses the ratio of driving to dissipation. The transition to SOC, when the number of excited degrees of freedom is maximal, is found to occur when R{sub A}{yields}0. This is in the opposite sense to (Kolmogorov) turbulence, thus identifying a deep distinction between turbulence and SOC and suggesting an observable property that could distinguish them. A corollary of this similarity analysis is that SOC phenomenology, that is, power law scaling of avalanches, can persist for finite R{sub A} with the same R{sub A}{yields}0 exponent if the system supports a sufficiently large range of lengthscales, necessary for SOC to be a candidate for physical (R{sub A} finite) systems.},
doi = {10.1063/1.3057392},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/21272451}, journal = {Physics of Plasmas},
issn = {1070-664X},
number = 1,
volume = 16,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Jan 15 00:00:00 EST 2009},
month = {Thu Jan 15 00:00:00 EST 2009}
}