Wang-Landau Monte Carlo simulation of the blume-capel model

We carry out a study of the two-dimensional Blume-Capel model using the Wang-Landau Monte Carlo method which estimates the density of states g(E) directly. This work validates the applicability of this method to multiparametric systems, since only one computer run is needed for all range of macroscopic parameters (temperature, anisotropy, etc.). The location of the tricritical point is determined as k(B)T(t)/J=0.609(3), D-t/J=1.966(2) and is in excellent agreement with previous estimates. The free energy and the entropy, which are not directly accessible by conventional Monte Carlo simulations, are obtained simply using g(E).