Tree Approximation for Spin Glass Models

An approximate numerical approach to spin models is proposed, in which the original lattice is transformed into a tree. This method is applied to the Edwards-Anderson spin glass model in two and three dimensions. It captures the characteristics of each individual sample and reproduces various qualitative features of sample averaged quantities similar to those that have been observed in previous Monte Carlo simulations. For example, from the Binder parameter for various system sizes as a function of the temperature we obtain Tc ~ 1.0 with \nu ~ 1.85, in reasonable agreement with previous Monte Carlo simulations. The present approximation yields the trivial structure for the overlap distribution function.