Relevance of spatial quenched disorder in the Diffusive Epidemic Process

Abstract: The diffusive epidemic process is an example of reaction-diffusion system where diffusion constants of healthy and infected particles determine the universality class of the absorbing phase transition. Introducing spatial quenched disorder in the contamination rates and the diffusion rates of each species leads to a rich phase diagram depending on the disorder distribution. Particularly, signature of different infinite disorder fixed points and lack of active phase are reported. The relevance of disorder is correctly predicted by the Harris criterion in light of the effective macroscopic diffusion rates. However, the effective disorder strength depends on which diffusion rate heterogeneities are introduced.