Pushing, blocking and polynuclear growth

TL;DR

This paper introduces a discrete-time stochastic growth model with exact formulas that converges to the Polynuclear growth model, connecting interface evolution, last passage percolation, and interacting particle systems.

Contribution

It presents a new discrete-time growth model with exact solvability and links to known models like PNG and last passage percolation, offering insights into interface dynamics.

Findings

Model converges to Polynuclear growth in a limit

Exact formulas for one-point and multi-time distributions

Connections to last passage percolation and particle systems

Abstract

We consider a discrete-time model for random interface growth which admits exact formulas and converges to the Polynuclear growth model in a particular limit. The height of the interface is initially flat and the evolution involves the addition of islands of height one according to a Poisson point process of nucleation events. The boundaries of these islands then spread in a stochastic manner, rather than at deterministic speed as in the Polynuclear growth model. The one-point distribution and multi-time distributions agree with point-to-line last passage percolation times in a geometric environment. An alternative interpretation for the growth model can be given through interacting particle systems experiencing pushing and blocking interactions.