Renormalisation group determination of the order of the DNA denaturation transition

TL;DR

This paper uses renormalisation group analysis of a DNA model to determine that the denaturation transition is continuous, but it may appear first-order in numerical studies due to narrow critical behavior.

Contribution

It applies a renormalisation group approach to the Peyrard-Bishop-Dauxois model, providing a deeper understanding of the transition's nature and its potential misinterpretation in simulations.

Findings

Transition is continuous for average base-pair separation

Universal critical behavior range is very narrow

Numerical observations may suggest first-order transition

Abstract

We report on the nature of the thermal denaturation transition of homogeneous DNA as determined from a renormalisation group analysis of the Peyrard-Bishop-Dauxois model. Our approach is based on an analogy with the phenomenon of critical wetting that goes further than previous qualitative comparisons, and shows that the transition is continuous for the average base-pair separation. However, since the range of universal critical behaviour appears to be very narrow, numerically observed denaturation transitions may look first-order, as it has been reported in the literature.