Universality classes of driven lattice gases

Abstract

Motivated by some recent criticisms to our alternative Langevin equation for driven lattice gases (DLG) under an infinitely large driving field, we revisit the derivation of such an equation, and test its validity. As a result, an additional term, coming from a careful consideration of entropic contributions, is added to the equation. This term heals all the recently reported generic infrared singularities. The emerging equation is then identical to that describing randomly driven diffusive systems. This fact confirms our claim that the infinite driving limit is singular, and that the main relevant ingredient determining the critical behavior of the DLG in this limit is the anisotropy and not the presence of a current. Different aspects of our picture are discussed, and it is concluded that it constitutes a very plausible scenario to rationalize the critical behavior of the DLG and variants of it.