Gradient descent dynamics in the mixed p-spin spherical model: finite-size simulations and comparison with mean-field integration

Abstract

Abstract We perform numerical simulations of a long-range spherical spin glass with two and three body interaction terms. We study the gradient descent dynamics and the inherent structures found after a quench from initial conditions well thermalized at temperature T in. In very large systems, the dynamics perfectly agrees with the integration of the mean-field dynamical equations. In particular, we confirm the existence of an onset initial temperature, within the liquid phase, below which the energy of the inherent structures undoubtedly depends on T in. This behavior is in contrast with that of pure models, where there is a ‘threshold energy’ that attracts all the initial configurations in the liquid. Our results strengthen the analogy between mean-field spin glass models and supercooled liquids.