Mean-field behavior of the sandpile model below the upper critical dimension

Abstract

We present results of large scale numerical simulations of the Bak, Tang, and Wiesenfeld [Phys. Rev. Lett. 59, 381 (1987); Phys. Rev. A 38, 364 (1988)] sandpile model. We analyze the critical behavior of the model in Euclidean dimensions [formula presented]. We consider a dissipative generalization of the model and study the avalanche size and duration distributions for different values of the lattice size and dissipation. We find that the scaling exponents in [formula presented] significantly differ from mean-field predictions, thus suggesting an upper critical dimension [formula presented]. Using the relations among the dissipation rate [formula presented] and the finite lattice size [formula presented], we find that a subset of the exponents displays mean-field values below the upper critical dimensions. This behavior is explained in terms of conservation laws. © 1998 The American Physical Society.