Block coupling and rapidly mixing k-heights

TL;DR

This paper introduces a new block coupling technique to analyze the rapid mixing of Markov chains on k-heights, with applications to grid-like and planar graphs, advancing understanding of spin system dynamics.

Contribution

The paper presents a novel block coupling method for proving rapid mixing of Markov chains on k-heights, extending analysis to new graph families.

Findings

Markov chain mixes rapidly on certain grid-like graphs

Markov chain mixes rapidly on planar cubic 3-connected graphs

Block coupling technique is effective for spin system configurations

Abstract

A $k$-height on a graph $G=(V, E)$ is an assignment $V\to\{0, \ldots, k\}$ such that the value on ajacent vertices differs by at most $1$. We study the Markov chain on $k$-heights that in each step selects a vertex at random, and, if admissible, increases or decreases the value at this vertex by one. In the cases of $2$-heights and $3$-heights we show that this Markov chain is rapidly mixing on certain families of grid-like graphs and on planar cubic $3$-connected graphs. The result is based on a novel technique called block coupling, which is derived from the well-established monotone coupling approach. This technique may also be effective when analyzing other Markov chains that operate on configurations of spin systems that form a distributive lattice. It is therefore of independent interest.