Combinatorial optimization methods in disordered systems Original Research Article

We give an overview of the applications of methods from combinatorial optimization to problems in disordered systems. The optimization methods are efficient, for example it is possible to find the ground state of a random field Ising magnet containing one million sites in a couple of minutes on a high end workstation. Combinatorial algorithms for rigidity percolation and minimal energy domain walls in random exchange magnets are even more efficient.