Mean-field conditions for percolation on finite graphs

Asaf Nachmias*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

9 Scopus citations

Abstract

Let {Gn} be a sequence of finite transitive graphs with vertex degree d=d(n) and |Gn| =n. Denote by pt(v, v) the return probability after t steps of the non-backtracking random walk on Gn. We show that if pt(v, v) has quasi-random properties, then critical bond-percolation on Gn behaves as it would on a random graph. More precisely, if then the size of the largest component in p-bond-percolation with is roughly n2/3. In Physics jargon, this condition implies that there exists a scaling window with a mean-field width of n-1/3 around the critical probability. A consequence of our theorems is that if {Gn} is a transitive expander family with girth at least then {Gn} has the above scaling window around. In particular, bond-percolation on the celebrated Ramanujan graph constructed by Lubotzky, Phillips and Sarnak [LuPS] has the above scaling window. This provides the first examples of quasi-random graphs behaving like random graphs with respect to critical bond-percolation.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1171-1194
Number of pages24
JournalGeometric and Functional Analysis
Volume19
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 2009
Externally publishedYes

Funding

FundersFunder number
National Science Foundation
Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences0605166

    Keywords

    • Giant component
    • Percolation
    • Random graphs
    • Scaling window

    Fingerprint

    Dive into the research topics of 'Mean-field conditions for percolation on finite graphs'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

    Cite this