Monotonicity of the average density for stochastic sandpiles

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Let G=(V{s},E)G=(V\cup\{s\},E) be a finite graph with designated sink vertex ss. Under the pp-toppling rule, each edge incident to a toppled vertex independently sends a particle with probability pp, and particles sent to ss are removed. Let μG(p)\mu_G^{(p)} be the stationary distribution, and define the average density by

ρG(p):=Ep[vVη(v)V].\rho_G(p):=\mathbb{E}_p\bigg[\sum_{v\in V}\frac{\eta(v)}{|V|}\bigg].

Here p[0,1]p\in[0,1]. Monotonicity of the average density. For all p1,p2[0,1]p_1,p_2\in[0,1] with p1<p2p_1<p_2,

ρG(p1)>ρG(p2),\rho_G(p_1)>\rho_G(p_2),

so the average density is strictly monotonically decreasing in pp. The conjecture is motivated by the observed higher density for uniform topplings on more complicated graphs; the supplied text gives no proof or resolution.

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Primary source

David Beck-Tiefenbach and Robin Kaiser, “Stochastic Sandpiles with Uniform Toppling Rule on the Line”, arXiv:2603.16304 (2026).

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