  We explore some aspects of phase transitions in cellular automata. We start
recalling the standard formulation of statistical mechanics of discrete systems
(Ising model), illustrating the Monte Carlo approach as Markov chains and
stochastic processes. We then formulate the cellular automaton problem using
simple models, and illustrate different types of possible phase transitions:
density phase transitions of first and second order, damage spreading, dilution
of deterministic rules, asynchronism-induced transitions, synchronization
phenomena, chaotic phase transitions and the influence of the topology. We
illustrate the improved mean-field techniques and the phenomenological
renormalization group approach.
