Universality of critically pinned interfaces in 2-dimensional isotropic random media

Abstract

Based on extensive simulations, we conjecture that critically pinned interfaces in 2-dimensional isotropic random media with short range correlations are always in the universality class of ordinary percolation. Thus, in contrast to interfaces in \(>2\) dimensions, there is no distinction between fractal (i.e., percolative) and rough but non-fractal interfaces. Our claim includes interfaces in zero-temperature random field Ising models (both with and without spontaneous nucleation), in heterogeneous bootstrap percolation, and in susceptible-weakened-infected-removed (SWIR) epidemics. It does not include models with long range correlations in the randomness, and models where overhangs are explicitly forbidden (which would imply non-isotropy of the medium).