Complex Media and Percolation Theory

Percolation theory describes the effects of the connectivity of microscopic or small-scale elements of a complex medium to its macroscopic or large-scale properties. It also describes the conditions under which there may be a continuously connected path of local elements across the medium. The point at which the path is formed is called the percolation threshold. Percolation theory also predicts that many macroscopic properties of complex media follow universal power laws near the percolation threshold that are independent of many microscopic features of such media.

There are many applications of percolation theory across the natural sciences, from porous materials, to composite solids, complex networks, and biological systems. This book presents the essential elements of percolation theory, covers the problem of calculating the exponents that characterize the power laws that the percolation quantities follow near the percolation threshold, provides a clear description of the geometry of percolation clusters of the connected paths, and addresses several variations of percolation theory. In particular, bootstrap percolation, explosive percolation, and invasion percolation are featured, which expand the range of natural systems to which percolation may be applicable. In addition, coverage includes several important applications of percolation theory to a range of phenomena, ranging from electrical conductivity, thermopower, the Hall effect, and photoconductivity of disordered semiconductors, to flow, transport and reaction in porous media, geochemistry, biology, and ecology.

Muhammad Sahimi is professor of chemical engineering and materials science, and the NIOC chair in petroleum engineering at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. He has been involved for over 40 years in the development of the applications of percolation theory to various fields, particularly in porous media, and heterogeneous materials.

Allen Hunt is appointed jointly in Physics and the Earth & Environmental Sciences Departments at Wright State University. He is author or editor of 5 books with 200 publications. His interests are currently in problems of environmental science with strong physics component, typically referenced to transport in disordered systems as addressed in percolation theory. An example is the ability to forecast the fate of precipitation falling on the continents, whether evapotranspiration or run-off (called the water balance). His teaching has been recognized by the Latter-Day Saints Student Association while teaching in a community college and, at Wright State, by election to Who's Who Among American Teachers.