English

Sandpile monomorphisms and limits

Mathematical Physics 2019-09-16 v2 Group Theory math.MP Cellular Automata and Lattice Gases

Abstract

We introduce a tiling problem between bounded open convex polyforms P^R2\hat{P}\subset\mathbb{R}^2 with directed and uniquely colored edges. If there exists a tiling of the polyform P^2\hat{P}_2 by P^1\hat{P}_1, we show that one can construct a monomorphism from the sandpile group GΓ1=ZΓ1/Δ(ZΓ1)G_{\Gamma_1}=\mathbb{Z}^{\Gamma_1}/\Delta(\mathbb{Z}^{\Gamma_1}) on the domain (graph) Γ1=P^1Z2\Gamma_1=\hat{P}_1\cap\mathbb{Z}^2 to the respective group on Γ2=P^2Z2\Gamma_2=\hat{P}_2\cap\mathbb{Z}^2. We provide several examples of infinite series of such tilings with polyforms converging to R2\mathbb{R}^2, and thus the first definition of scaling-limits for the sandpile group on the plane. Additional results include an exact sequence relating sandpile configurations to harmonic functions, an alternative formula for the order of the sandpile group based on a basis for the module of integer-valued harmonic functions, and three examples of how to prove the existence of (cyclic) subgroups for infinite families of sandpile groups by constructing appropriate integer-valued harmonic functions. The main open question concerns if the scaling-limits of the sandpile group for different sequences of polyforms converging to R2\mathbb{R}^2 are isomorphic.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.1904.12209,
  title  = {Sandpile monomorphisms and limits},
  author = {Moritz Lang and Mikhail Shkolnikov},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:1904.12209},
  year   = {2019}
}

Comments

Significantly extended and generalized version, now considering monomorphisms induced by solutions to a tiling problem as well as limits of the sandpile group on the plane. Completely rewritten for a mathematical audience. 25 pages, 7 figures

R2 v1 2026-06-23T08:51:18.159Z