$1/\varphi$ Spectrum of the Stress Dynamics with the Bak-Tang-Wiesenfeld Sandpile

Abstract

With the original Bak-Tang-Wisenefeld (BTW) sandpile we uncover the $1/\varphi$ noise in the mechanism maintaining self-organized criticality (SOC) - the question raised together with the concept of SOC. We posit that the dynamics of stress in the BTW sandpile follows quasi-cycles of graduate stress accumulation that end up with an abrupt stress-release and the drop of the system to subcritical state. In thermodynamic limit, the intra-cycle dynamics exhibits the $1/\varphi$ spectrum that extends infinitely and corresponds to the stress-release within the critical state.