The random-cluster model has emerged as a key tool in the mathematical study of ferromagnetism. It may be viewed as an extension of percolation to include Ising and Potts models, and its analysis is a mix of arguments from probability and geometry. The Random-Cluster Model contains accounts of the subcritical and supercritical phases, together with clear statements of important open problems. The book includes treatment of the first-order (discontinuous) phase transition.

Most probability problems involve random variables indexed by space and/or time. These problems almost always have  a version in which space and/or time are taken to be discrete. This volume deals with areas in which the discrete version is more natural than the continuous one, perhaps even the only one than can be formulated without complicated constructions and machinery. The 5 papers of this volume discuss problems in which there has been significant progress in the last few years; they are motivated by, or have been developed in parallel with, statistical physics. They include questions about asymptotic shape for stochastic growth models and for random clusters; existence, location and properties of phase transitions; speed of convergence to equilibrium in Markov chains, and in particular for Markov chains based on models with a phase transition; cut-off phenomena for random walks. The articles can be read independently of each other. Their unifying theme is that of models built on discrete spaces or graphs. Such models are often easy to formulate. Correspondingly, the book requires comparatively little previous knowledge of the machinery of probability.

Polycrystalline metals, porous rocks, colloidal suspensions, epitaxial thin films, gels, foams, granular aggregates, sea ice, shape-memory metals, magnetic materials, and electro-rheological fluids are all examples of materials where an understanding of the mathematics on the different length scales is a key to interpreting their physical behavior. In their analysis of these media, scientists coming from a number of disciplines have encountered similar mathematical problems, yet it is rare for researchers in the various fields to meet. The 1995-1996 program at the Institute for Mathematics and its Applications was devoted to Mathematical Methods in Material Science, and was attended by materials scientists, physicists, geologists, chemists engineers, and mathematicians. The present volume contains chapters which have emerged from four of the workshops held during the year, focusing on the following areas: Disordered Materials; Interfaces and Thin Films; Mechanical Response of Materials from Angstroms to Meters; and Phase Transformation, Composite Materials and Microstructure. The scales treated in these workshops ranged from the atomic to the microstructural to the macroscopic, the microstructures from ordered to random, and the treatments from "purely" theoretical to the highly applied. Taken together, these works form a compelling and broad account of many aspects of the science of multiscale materials, and will hopefully inspire research across the self-imposed barriers of twentieth century science.

Percolation theory is the study of an idealized random medium in two or more dimensions. The mathematical theory is mature, and continues to give rise to problems of special beauty and difficulty. Percolation is pivotal for studying more complex physical systems exhibiting phase transitions. The emphasis of this book is upon core mathematical material and the presentation of the shortest and most accessible proofs. The book is intended for graduate students and researchers in probability and mathematical physics. Almost no specialist knowledge is assumed. Much new material appears in this second edition, including: dynamic and static renormalization, strict inequalities between critical points, a sketch of the lace expansion, and several essays on related fields and applications.

The 1995-1996 program at the Institute for Mathematics and its Applications was devoted to mathematical methods in material science, and was attended by materials scientists, physicists, geologists, chemists engineers, and mathematicians. This volume contains chapters which emerged from four of the workshops, focusing on disordered materials; interfaces and thin films; mechanical response of materials from angstroms to meters; and phase transformation, composite materials and microstructure. The scales treated in these workshops ranged from the atomic to the macroscopic, the microstructures from ordered to random, and the treatments from "purely" theoretical to highly applied. Taken together, these results form a compelling and broad account of many aspects of the science of multi-scale materials, and will hopefully inspire research across the self-imposed barriers of twentieth century science.

Grimmett, Geoffrey: Percolation and disordered systems.- Kesten, Harry: Aspects of first passage percolation. "

Percolation theory is the study of an idealized random medium in two or more dimensions. The emphasis of this book is upon core mathematical material and the presentation of the shortest and most accessible proofs. Much new material appears in this second edition including dynamic and static renormalization, strict inequalities between critical points, a sketch of the lace expansion, and several essays on related fields and applications.

The random-cluster model has emerged as a key tool in the mathematical study of ferromagnetism. It may be viewed as an extension of percolation to include Ising and Potts models, and its analysis is a mix of arguments from probability and geometry. The Random-Cluster Model contains accounts of the subcritical and supercritical phases, together with clear statements of important open problems. The book includes treatment of the first-order (discontinuous) phase transition.

Most probability problems involve random variables indexed by space and/or time. These problems almost always have a version in which space and/or time are taken to be discrete. This volume deals with areas in which the discrete version is more natural than the continuous one, perhaps even the only one than can be formulated without complicated constructions and machinery. The 5 papers of this volume discuss problems in which there has been significant progress in the last few years; they are motivated by, or have been developed in parallel with, statistical physics. They include questions about asymptotic shape for stochastic growth models and for random clusters; existence, location and properties of phase transitions; speed of convergence to equilibrium in Markov chains, and in particular for Markov chains based on models with a phase transition; cut-off phenomena for random walks. The articles can be read independently of each other. Their unifying theme is that of models built on discrete spaces or graphs. Such models are often easy to formulate. Correspondingly, the book requires comparatively little previous knowledge of the machinery of probability.

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