Comment on 'Pulsed field studies of the magnetization reversal in molecular nanomagnets'

In a recent paper, cond-mat/0404041, J. Vanacken et al. reported experimental studies of crystals of Mn12-ac molecular nanomagnets in pulsed magnetic fields with sweep rates up to 4000 T/s. Steps in the magnetization curve were observed. The data were explained by collective dipolar relaxation. We give here an alternative explanation that is based on thermal avalanches triggered by defect molecules (faster relaxing species). These species are always present in Mn12-ac molecular nanomagnets. We propose a simple method to test this interpretation. Note that we do not question the possibility of collective effects that are bassed on spin--spin interactions.