Playing with sandpiles

TL;DR

This paper explores the mathematical properties of the Bak-Tang-Wiesenfeld sandpile model, demonstrating self-organized criticality through graphical simulations and highlighting its elegant features.

Contribution

It provides a visual demonstration of the model's properties, making the complex mathematical aspects more accessible.

Findings

Graphical demonstration of self-organized criticality

Illustration of mathematical properties of the sandpile model

Enhanced understanding of the model's behavior

Abstract

The Bak-Tang-Wiesenfeld sandpile model provdes a simple and elegant system with which to demonstate self-organized criticality. This model has rather remarkable mathematical properties first elucidated by Dhar. I demonstrate some of these properties graphically with a simple computer simulation.