UNIVERSAL SHORT-TIME DYNAMICS IN THE KOSTERLITZ-THOULESS PHASE

We study the short-time dynamics of systems that develop quasi-long-ra nge order after a quench to the Kosterlitz-Thouless phase. With the wo rking hypothesis that the universal short-time behavior, previously fo und in Ising-like systems, also occurs in the Kosterlitz-Thouless phas e, we explore the scaling behavior of thermodynamic variables during t he relaxational process following the quench. As a concrete example, w e investigate the two-dimensional six-state clock model by Monte Carlo simulation. The exponents governing the magnetization, the second mom ent, and the autocorrelation function are calculated. From them, by me ans of scaling relations, estimates for the equilibrium exponents z an d eta are derived. In particular, our estimates for the temperature-de pendent anomalous dimension eta that governs the static correlation fu nction are consistent with existing analytical and numerical results, and, thus, confirm our working hypothesis.