title: Stochastic processes and conformal invariance.
abstract: We discuss a one-dimensional model of a fluctuating interface with a dynamic exponent z=1. The events that occur are adsorption, which is local, and desorption which is nonlocal and may take place over regions of the order of the system size. In the thermodynamic limit, the time dependence of the system is given by characters of the c=0 logarithmic conformal field theory of percolation. This implies in a rigorous way, a connection between logarithmic conformal field theory and stochastic processes. The finite-size scaling behavior of the average height, interface width and other observables are obtained. The avalanches produced during desorption are analyzed and we show that the probability distribution of the avalanche sizes obeys finite-size scaling with new critical exponents.
authors.affiliation: Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: de Gier
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nienhuis
authors.forename: Paul A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Pearce
authors.forename: Vladimir
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rittenberg