This book provides the state-of-the art of the present understanding of avalanche phenomena in both functional materials and geophysics. The main emphasis of the book is analyzing these apparently different problems within the common perspective of out-of-equilibrium phenomena displaying spatial and temporal complexity that occur in a broad range of scales. Many systems, when subjected to an external force, respond intermittently in the form of avalanches that often span over a wide range of sizes, energies and durations. This is often related to a class of critical behavior characterized by the absence of characteristic scales. Typical examples are magnetization processes, plastic deformation and failure occuring in functional materials. These phenomena share many similarities with seismicity arising from the earth crust failure due to stresses that originate from plate tectonics.

Presents a state-of-the-art coverage of avalanches in different physical systems Offers a unified view of aspects in condensed matter, materials physics and geophysics Written by renowned international experts with an in-depth knowledge of the field Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras

Inhalt
Statistical mechanics perspective on earthquakes.- Mean-field approach to avalanches.- From labquakes in porous materials to earthquakes.- Rocks and earthquakes.- Modeling avalanches in martensites.- Experiments on pinning in ferroelastics .- Numerical simulation of avalanches in ferroelastics.- Microstructural length scales and crackling noise.- Avalanches in fracture.- Avalanches in metallic glasses.- Shear banding in amorphous solids.- Yield and irreversibility in amorphous solids.- Characterization of granular, porous and cellular materials.- Avalanches in fluid imbibition.