The Dynamics of the Bean Critical State

Abstract

A simple one dimensional model to simulate the establishment of the Bean critical state is introduced. It is shown that the dynamics of the flux lines as they enter the superconductor are dominated by `avalanches'. The distribution of distances moved by vortices in the avalanches obeys a power law with an exponent of -1. This suggests that the Bean state is a self-organised critical state. The density of flux lines is parabolic.