We consider the random coloring of the vertices of a graph G, that arises b
y first performing i.i.d. bond percolation with parameter p on G, and then
assigning a random color, chosen according to some prescribed probability d
istribution on the finite set {0,..., r-1}, to each of the connected compon
ents, independently for different components. We call this the divide and c
olor model, and study its percolation and Gibbs (quasilocality) properties,
with emphasis on the case G = Z(d). On Z(2), having an infinite cluster in
the underlying bond percolation process turns out to be necessary and suff
icient for some single color to percolate; this fails in higher k-dimension
s. Gibbsianness of the coloring process on Z(d), d greater than or equal to
2, holds when p is sufficiently small, but not when p is sufficiently larg
e. For r = 2, an FKG inequality is also obtained. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science
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