Expanding Peierls: Phase Transitions in Ising-type Models
Time: 2026-06-24
Published By: He Liu
Speaker(s): Joao Maia (BICMR)
Time: 15:00-16:00 June 26, 2026
Venue: Room 77201, Jingchunyuan 78, BICMR
The Peierls argument is one of the most intuitive tools in statistical mechanics, using simple geometric counting of "contours" to prove the existence of phase transitions. While traditionally taught for the standard nearest-neighbor Ising model, the underlying intuition is remarkably robust. In this talk, we will explore how this classic argument can be adapted to more complex variations, specifically the long-range Ising model and the decaying field Ising model. This talk is aimed at a broad audience, so no prior background in statistical mechanics or probability is required.
