Skip to content

Bond percolation on the square lattice: a union bound

Question

On the square lattice Z2\mathbb{Z}^2, every edge joining two vertices at Euclidean distance 11 is independently open with probability pp. Bounding the probability with a union bound (sub-additivity) over paths starting at the origin, one finds that the origin lies in an infinite open cluster with probability 00 for all pp in an interval (0,d)(0,d). What is dd?

Short answer

d=13d=\tfrac13. If the origin is in an infinite cluster, some self-avoiding open path of length nn starts there for every nn. There are at most 4⋅3n−14\cdot 3^{n-1} such paths (4 first steps, then no backtracking), each open with probability pnp^n, so the probability is at most 43(3p)n→0\tfrac43(3p)^n\to 0 whenever p<13p<\tfrac13.

Adapted from QuantQuestions.io; question and answer rewritten by SelfMadeQuant.com.

See the hint and the full worked solution in the question bank (free account).

Open the worked solution

Lessons behind this question

Start with a free lesson: Probability Fundamentals is part of a free topic. Create a free account, no card needed, to read it in full with worked solutions.

Read it free