A Universal Scaling Law for the Fractal Energy Dissipation Domain in Self-Organized Criticality Systems

TL;DR

This paper proposes a universal scaling law linking the fractal dimension of energy dissipation domains to the powerlaw slope of energy distributions in self-organized criticality systems, applicable across various geophysical and astrophysical phenomena.

Contribution

It introduces a universal scaling law connecting the fractal dimension of dissipation regions to the energy distribution slope in SOC systems, providing a new diagnostic tool.

Findings

The powerlaw slope of energy distributions is approximately 1.5.

The fractal dimension of dissipation domains is predicted to be 2 for area-spreading processes.

This scaling law applies to phenomena like solar flares and earthquakes.

Abstract

Nonlinear dissipative systems in the state of self-organized criticality release energy sporadically in avalanches of all sizes, such as in earthquakes, auroral substorms, solar and stellar flares, soft gamma-ray repeaters, and pulsar glitches. The statistical occurrence frequency distributions of event energies $E$ generally exhibit a powerlaw-like function $N(E)\propto E^{-\alpha_E}$ with a powerlaw slope of $\alpha_E \approx 1.5$. The powerlaw slope $\alpha_E$ of energies can be related to the fractal dimension $D$ of the spatial energy dissipation domain by $D=3/\alpha_E$, which predicts a powerlaw slope $\alpha_E=1.5$ for area-rupturing or area-spreading processes with $D=2$. For solar and stellar flares, 2-D area-spreading dissipation domains are naturally provided in current sheets or separatrix surfaces in a magnetic reconnection region. Thus, this universal scaling law provides a useful new diagnostic on the topology of the spatial energy dissipation domain in geophysical and astrophysical observations.