Emergent correlations in the selected link-times along optimal paths

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Domenech, Iván Álvarez, Rodríguez-Laguna, Javier, Córdoba-Torres, Pedro, Santalla, Silvia N.
Format: Preprint
Published: 2026
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author Domenech, Iván Álvarez
Rodríguez-Laguna, Javier
Córdoba-Torres, Pedro
Santalla, Silvia N.
author_facet Domenech, Iván Álvarez
Rodríguez-Laguna, Javier
Córdoba-Torres, Pedro
Santalla, Silvia N.
contents In the context of first-passage percolation (FPP), we investigate the statistical properties of the selected link-times (SLTs) -the random link times comprising the optimal paths (or geodesics) connecting two given points. We focus on weakly disordered square lattices, whose geodesics are known to fall under the Kardar-Parisi-Zhang (KPZ) universality class. Our analysis reveals universal power-law decays with the end-to-end distance for both the average and standard deviation of the SLTs, along with an intricate pattern of long-range correlations, whose scaling exponents are directly linked to KPZ universality. Crucially, the SLT distributions for diagonal and axial paths exhibit significant differences, which we trace back to the distinct directed and undirected nature, respectively, of the underlying geodesics. Moreover, we demonstrate that the SLT distribution violates the conditions of the central limit theorem. Instead, SLT sums follow the Tracy-Widom distribution characteristic of the KPZ class, which we associate with evidence for the emergence of high-order long-range correlations in the ensemble.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2602_03800
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Emergent correlations in the selected link-times along optimal paths
Domenech, Iván Álvarez
Rodríguez-Laguna, Javier
Córdoba-Torres, Pedro
Santalla, Silvia N.
Statistical Mechanics
Probability
In the context of first-passage percolation (FPP), we investigate the statistical properties of the selected link-times (SLTs) -the random link times comprising the optimal paths (or geodesics) connecting two given points. We focus on weakly disordered square lattices, whose geodesics are known to fall under the Kardar-Parisi-Zhang (KPZ) universality class. Our analysis reveals universal power-law decays with the end-to-end distance for both the average and standard deviation of the SLTs, along with an intricate pattern of long-range correlations, whose scaling exponents are directly linked to KPZ universality. Crucially, the SLT distributions for diagonal and axial paths exhibit significant differences, which we trace back to the distinct directed and undirected nature, respectively, of the underlying geodesics. Moreover, we demonstrate that the SLT distribution violates the conditions of the central limit theorem. Instead, SLT sums follow the Tracy-Widom distribution characteristic of the KPZ class, which we associate with evidence for the emergence of high-order long-range correlations in the ensemble.
title Emergent correlations in the selected link-times along optimal paths
topic Statistical Mechanics
Probability
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2602.03800