Log-Poisson statistics and extended self-similarity in driven dissipative systems

Abstract

The Bak-Chen-Tang forest fire model [Phys. Lett. A 147 (1990) 297] was proposed as a toy model of turbulent systems, where energy (in the form of trees) is injected uniformly and globally, but is dissipated (burns) locally. We review our previous results on the model [Phys. Rev. E 62 (2000) 1613; Phys. Rev. Lett. 86 (2000) 4215] and present our new results on the statistics of the higher-order moments for the spatial distribution of fires. We show numerically that the spatial distribution of dissipation can be described by Log-Poisson statistics which leads to extended self-similarity [Phys. Rev. E. 48 (1993) R29; Phys. Rev. Lett. 73 (1994) 959]. Similar behavior is also found in models based on directed percolation; this suggests that the concept of Log-Poisson statistics of (appropriately normalized) variables can be used to describe scaling not only in turbulence but also in a wide range of driven dissipative systems. © 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.