Block-spin coarse-graining 2026-10-18
Consider Ising spins on a square lattice of spacing . Divide it into disjoint blocks and retain the majority sign . Each block contains nine spins, so a tie is impossible. For example, five positive and four negative spins produce . All configurations are assigned a retained sign; the individual pattern within a block is lost. A coarse-grained variable has fewer possible values than the microscopic configuration it summarizes.
The spacing between block centres is . In coordinates it is again , so the retained pattern can be compared with the original lattice at the same numerical cutoff. This coordinate change does not physically shrink the sample. A majority picture alone does not specify the new interactions: the blocking kernel and original Boltzmann weights determine their probabilities. The figure is a constructed configuration, not a simulated equilibrium state or a claim that majority blocking closes the nearest-neighbour Ising model.
