A spring-block model for Barkhausen noise

A simple mechanical spring-block model is introduced for studying magnetization phenomena and in particular the Barkhausen noise. The model captures and reproduces the accepted microscopic picture of domain wall movement and pinning. Computer simulations suggest that the model is able to reproduce the main characteristics of hysteresis loops and Barkhausen jumps. In the critical regime of the model the statistics of the obtained Barkhausen jumps follows several scaling laws, in qualitative agreement with experimental results. The simplicity and the invoked mechanical analogies make the model attractive for computer simulations and for pedagogical purposes.