ONSETS OF AVALANCHES IN THE BTW MODEL

The onsets of toppling and dissipation in the BTW model are studied by computer simulation. The distributions of these two onset times and t heir dependences on the system size are also studied. Simple power-law dependences of these two times on the system size are observed and th e exponents are estimated. The fluctuation of the average (spatial) he ight in the subcritical region is studied and observed to increase ver y rapidly near the SOC point, (C) 1998 Published by Elsevier Science B .V. All rights reserved.