Result 223, Probability and statistical mechanics

Random-cluster interfaces: critical, disordered, thermal, and natural-time scaling

Proves chordal SLEκ limits for critical square-lattice random-cluster interfaces for 0<q≤40\lt q\le4, with κ=4π/arccos⁡(−q/2)\kappa=4\pi/\arccos(-\sqrt q/2): bounded Jordan domains are allowed for q ≥ 1, and smooth Jordan domains for q < 1, under the stated marked-boundary approximations. For 1≤q≤41\le q\le4, complete nested plane loops converge to CLEκ.

Proof

The bigger picture

Why it matters

At a critical point, the boundaries of random clusters can have a common large-scale description despite their lattice structure. These manuscripts describe that limit, connecting discrete models to continuum random curves and nested loops.

What changes?

The manuscripts report that critical square-lattice random-cluster interfaces, tracing cluster boundaries with cluster weight q, converge to SLE, a family of random continuum curves, for 0 < q <= 4. Its parameter is kappa = 4 pi / arccos(-sqrt(q)/2). Domains must be bounded with simple closed boundaries, smooth when q < 1, under uniformly converging marked boundary approximations. For 1 <= q <= 4, complete nested plane loop collections converge to CLE, the corresponding continuum loop ensemble.

What does that help mathematicians do?

The claims concern more than the appearance of individual boundaries: the loop limit retains multiplicities and traversals. A companion manuscript also reports that, in the unit square for 1 <= q < 4, rescaled interface-step counts converge jointly with the curve to its natural fractal length measure, including total length. This connects a discrete quantity researchers can count to a continuum quantity, using one deterministic constant times the predicted mesh power.

Are there practical applications?

The immediate value is foundational: identifying which microscopic changes preserve a critical interface's continuum law. For FK–Ising, a companion manuscript reports that sufficiently weak, symmetric, independent two-valued bond disorder still gives SLE with parameter 16/3. Disorder strength stays fixed as lattice spacing shrinks; conditional curve laws converge in probability over environments. This is a precise robustness claim, not evidence of a practical deployment.

This section was generated by GPT-6 Astra Medium. This explanation is based on the result summary and manuscript abstracts below. This context is separate from OpenAI's source text.

6 manuscripts

Square-lattice FK interfaces and nested loops for 1 <= q < 4

September 23, 2026 110 pages

For every fixed 1≤q<41\le q\lt 4, critical square-lattice random-cluster Dobrushin interfaces converge as ordered curves to chordal SLEκ(q)\mathop{\mathrm{SLE}}\nolimits _{\kappa(q)}, where κ(q)=4π/arccos⁡(−q/2)\kappa(q)=4\pi/\arccos(-\sqrt q/2), confirming the Rohde–Schramm prediction in this parameter range. This holds in every bounded Jordan domain under uniform marked boundary approximation. The complete nested plane loop collections converge to whole-plane CLEκ(q)\mathop{\mathrm{CLE}}\nolimits _{\kappa(q)} in a spherical matching topology retaining multiplicities and traversals. At q = 1 we obtain Cardy's formula for square-lattice bond percolation with free boundary edges.

Cite (BibTeX)
@misc{OAI:Square-lattice-FK-interfaces-and-nested-loops-for-1-leq-q-lt-4-September-23-2026,
  author = {{OpenAI}},
  title = {{Square-lattice FK interfaces and nested loops for $1\le q<4$}},
  howpublished = {OpenAI Math Release preprint
                  \href{https://github.com/openai/math/blob/main/preprints/Square-lattice-FK-interfaces-and-nested-loops-for-1-leq-q-lt-4-September-23-2026/paper.pdf}{OAI:Square-lattice-FK-interfaces-and-nested-loops-for-1-leq-q-lt-4-September-23-2026}},
  year = {2026}
}

Self-dual random-cluster interfaces below one

September 23, 2026 207 pages

For every fixed 0<q<10\lt q\lt 1, we prove that the Dobrushin interface of the square-lattice random-cluster model at its self-dual parameter converges to chordal SLEκ, where κ=4π/arccos⁡(−q/2)∈(6,8)\kappa=4\pi/\arccos(-\sqrt q/2)\in(6,8). The approximating domains are simple closed nearest-neighbor lattice polygons with distinct marked vertices, whose marked boundary parametrizations converge uniformly to those of a bounded smooth Jordan domain. Convergence holds along the full mesh sequence in the uniform metric on oriented curves modulo increasing reparametrization. The proof combines finite connection comparisons below one, localization in irregular tiled disks, and a boundary observable that determines the limiting Loewner driver.

Cite (BibTeX)
@misc{OAI:Self-dual-random-cluster-interfaces-below-one-September-23-2026,
  author = {{OpenAI}},
  title = {{Self-dual random-cluster interfaces below one}},
  howpublished = {OpenAI Math Release preprint
                  \href{https://github.com/openai/math/blob/main/preprints/Self-dual-random-cluster-interfaces-below-one-September-23-2026/paper.pdf}{OAI:Self-dual-random-cluster-interfaces-below-one-September-23-2026}},
  year = {2026}
}

Quenched SLE Universality for Weakly Disordered FK–Ising Interfaces

October 5, 2026 49 pages

We prove that critical FK–Ising interfaces with sufficiently weak, symmetric, independent two-valued bond disorder converge to chordal SLE16/3. The disorder strength is fixed as the mesh tends to zero, and convergence of the conditional curve laws holds in probability over the environment.

Cite (BibTeX)
@misc{OAI:Quenched-SLE-Universality-for-Weakly-Disordered-FK-Ising-Interfaces-October-5-2026,
  author = {{OpenAI}},
  title = {{Quenched SLE Universality for Weakly Disordered FK--Ising Interfaces}},
  howpublished = {OpenAI Math Release preprint
                  \href{https://github.com/openai/math/blob/main/preprints/Quenched-SLE-Universality-for-Weakly-Disordered-FK-Ising-Interfaces-October-5-2026/quenched-fk-ising.pdf}{OAI:Quenched-SLE-Universality-for-Weakly-Disordered-FK-Ising-Interfaces-October-5-2026}},
  year = {2026}
}

Thermal FK–Ising interfaces and massive SLE

October 5, 2026 50 pages

We prove convergence of thermal FK–Ising interfaces, for every fixed nonzero mass of either sign, on uniformly angle-bounded isoradial lattices in bounded simply connected domains. The limit is independent of the lattice and the admissible domain approximation. For positive mass it is the unique massive SLE16/3_{16/3} law with locally finite-energy drift prescribed by a massive boundary value problem; negative mass follows by duality and reversal. The theorem also allows Carathéodory approximations whose diameters diverge.

Cite (BibTeX)
@misc{OAI:Thermal-FK-Ising-interfaces-and-massive-SLE-October-5-2026,
  author = {{OpenAI}},
  title = {{Thermal FK--Ising interfaces and massive SLE}},
  howpublished = {OpenAI Math Release preprint
                  \href{https://github.com/openai/math/blob/main/preprints/Thermal-FK-Ising-interfaces-and-massive-SLE-October-5-2026/paper.pdf}{OAI:Thermal-FK-Ising-interfaces-and-massive-SLE-October-5-2026}},
  year = {2026}
}

Natural Occupation Measures for Critical Square-Lattice FK Interfaces

October 5, 2026 59 pages

We prove that the rescaled counting measure of a critical square-lattice Fortuin–Kasteleyn Dobrushin interface in the unit square converges to the Minkowski-content measure of its Schramm–Loewner limit, for every fixed cluster weight 1≤q<41\le q\lt 4. A single deterministic constant times the predicted power of the mesh gives the normalization. Convergence is joint with the ordered curve and includes the total mass, giving the scaling limit of the interface's total number of steps.

Cite (BibTeX)
@misc{OAI:Natural-Occupation-Measures-for-Critical-Square-Lattice-FK-Interfaces-October-5-2026,
  author = {{OpenAI}},
  title = {{Natural Occupation Measures for Critical Square-Lattice FK Interfaces}},
  howpublished = {OpenAI Math Release preprint
                  \href{https://github.com/openai/math/blob/main/preprints/Natural-Occupation-Measures-for-Critical-Square-Lattice-FK-Interfaces-October-5-2026/natural-occupation-measures-critical-square-lattice-fk-interfaces.pdf}{OAI:Natural-Occupation-Measures-for-Critical-Square-Lattice-FK-Interfaces-October-5-2026}},
  year = {2026}
}

Conformal Limits of Critical Square-Lattice Random-Cluster Interfaces

October 5, 2026 127 pages

For every fixed 1≤q≤41\le q\le4, critical square-lattice random-cluster Dobrushin interfaces converge to chordal SLEκ(q)\mathop{\mathrm{SLE}}\nolimits _{\kappa(q)}, where κ(q)=4π/arccos⁡(−q/2)\kappa(q)=4\pi/\arccos(-\sqrt q/2), and the complete nested plane loop collections converge to whole-plane CLEκ(q)\mathop{\mathrm{CLE}}\nolimits _{\kappa(q)}. The results hold under uniform marked Jordan boundary approximation and retain loop multiplicities and traversals. At q = 1 we obtain Cardy's formula for square-lattice bond percolation with free boundary edges.

Cite (BibTeX)
@misc{OAI:Conformal-Limits-of-Critical-Square-Lattice-Random-Cluster-Interfaces-October-5-2026,
  author = {{OpenAI}},
  title = {{Conformal Limits of Critical Square-Lattice Random-Cluster Interfaces}},
  howpublished = {OpenAI Math Release preprint
                  \href{https://github.com/openai/math/blob/main/preprints/Conformal-Limits-of-Critical-Square-Lattice-Random-Cluster-Interfaces-October-5-2026/paper.pdf}{OAI:Conformal-Limits-of-Critical-Square-Lattice-Random-Cluster-Interfaces-October-5-2026}},
  year = {2026}
}

Data from github.com/openai/math at commit adc7f12, committed October 6, 2026 at 21:58 UTC, last checked for changes about 9 hours ago. Titles, subjects, summaries, abstracts and Lean notes are OpenAI's; page counts are read from the PDFs. The map, related results, search, kinds of results and the named-problem index are Emergent Mind's, built with text embeddings and an LLM, and may contain errors.

An Emergent Mind Labs project. Emergent Mind is not affiliated with OpenAI. None of these results has been peer reviewed. Cite the manuscripts themselves, using the BibTeX on each result's page.