We use a one-dimensional random walk on $D$-dimensional hyperspheres to determine the critical behavior of statistical systems in hyperspherical geometries. First, we demonstrate the properties of such a walk by studying the phase diagram of a percolation problem. We find a line of second and first order phase transitions separated by a tricritical point. Then, we analyze the adsorption-desorption transition for a polymer growing near the attractive boundary of a cylindrical cell membrane. We find that the fraction of adsorbed monomers on the boundary vanishes exponentially when the adsorption energy decreases towards its critical value.

• Received 11 October 1994

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.74.2410