Calculation of the energy barriers in strongly interacting many-particle systems

A numerical method which allows the evaluation of the energy barrier height between any two metastable states in a many-particle system with continuous degrees of freedom and arbitrary interparticle interaction is presented. The method uses the minimization of the Onsager-Machlup action corresponding to the given path between the two states. The path which minimizes this action is supposed to be the optimal path between the states under consideration and the height of the energy barrier separating these states is determined as the energy barrier along this optimal path. Test results for a simple two-dimensional potential (where the optimal path can easily be visualized) and for a dipolar glass are presented. (C) 1998 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-8979(98)32611-0].