Journal of Statistical Physics, Vol. 41, Nos. l/2, 1985. p. 299-313.
We use a method developed by van Hemmen to obtain the free energy of the mean-field Ising model in a random external magnetic field. Some results of previous mean-field calculations are confirmed and generalized. The tricritical point in the global phase diagram is discussed in detail. We also consider different probability distributions of the random fields and provide some proofs regarding the conditions for the existence of a tricritical point.