Phase Transitions (eBook)

Ricard Sole (Autor)

eBook Download: EPUB

2011
240 Seiten
Princeton University Press (Verlag)
978-1-4008-3892-9 (ISBN)

Infos

Phase transitions--changes between different states of organization in a complex system--have long helped to explain physics concepts, such as why water freezes into a solid or boils to become a gas. How might phase transitions shed light on important problems in biological and ecological complex systems? Exploring the origins and implications of sudden changes in nature and society, Phase Transitions examines different dynamical behaviors in a broad range of complex systems. Using a compelling set of examples, from gene networks and ant colonies to human language and the degradation of diverse ecosystems, the book illustrates the power of simple models to reveal how phase transitions occur. Introductory chapters provide the critical concepts and the simplest mathematical techniques required to study phase transitions. In a series of example-driven chapters, Ricard Sole shows how such concepts and techniques can be applied to the analysis and prediction of complex system behavior, including the origins of life, viral replication, epidemics, language evolution, and the emergence and breakdown of societies. Written at an undergraduate mathematical level, this book provides the essential theoretical tools and foundations required to develop basic models to explain collective phase transitions for a wide variety of ecosystems.

Autor

Ricard V. Solé is research professor and head of the Complex Systems Lab at Pompeu Fabra University and external professor at the Santa Fe Institute. He is the coauthor of Signs of Life (Basic) and Self-Organization in Complex Ecosystems (Princeton).

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 25.7.2011
• Reihe/Serie: Primers in Complex Systems
• Reihe/Serie: Primers in Complex Systems
• Zusatzinfo: 6 halftones. 67 line illus. 1 table.
• Verlagsort: Princeton
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Mathematik / Informatik ► Mathematik ► Angewandte Mathematik
• Themenwelt: Naturwissenschaften ► Biologie ► Genetik / Molekularbiologie
• Themenwelt: Naturwissenschaften ► Biologie ► Ökologie / Naturschutz
• Themenwelt: Naturwissenschaften ► Biologie ► Zoologie
• Themenwelt: Naturwissenschaften ► Physik / Astronomie ► Thermodynamik
• Themenwelt: Technik
• Schlagworte: Agriculture • Approximation • attractor • autocatalysis • Bethe lattice • Bifurcation diagram • Bifurcation Theory • Big O notation • boolean function • Calculation • cancer cell • Carrying Capacity • Cartesian coordinate system • cell type • Colorectal Cancer • Complexity • complex network • computer network • Critical Value • Derivative • Detailed Balance • differential equation • Dimension • Division by zero • Dynamical system • Emergence • Epidemic • Equation • Equilibrium Point • Error threshold (evolution) • Eusociality • fragility • Giant component • Hyperbolic function • Hypercube • income • ingredient • Initial Condition • instability • Ising Model • language change • Lexical diffusion • Likelihood Function • Linear Approximation • linear differential equation • Linear Function • linear stability • Lipid • logistic function • magnetization • Mathematical Optimization • Mean field theory • microtubule • Molecule • Multicellular organism • Mutation • mutation rate • Natural selection • nonlinear system • Notation • Nucleotide • organism • Parameter • Parameter (computer programming) • Parameter Space • pathogen • percolation • Percolation threshold • phase transition • Pheromone • Point mutation • Polymer • population density • population dynamics • Population Size • power law • Probability • Protein • Quantity • Requirement • Resource Depletion • result • RNA virus • Social Dynamics • Spatial correlation • Special case • Stability Theory • Stationary state • Subset • symmetry breaking • Temperature • Termite • theory • Thermodynamic Equilibrium • Time evolution • Toy model • traffic congestion • Tubulin • Wealth • World Population
• ISBN-10: 1-4008-3892-4 / 1400838924
• ISBN-13: 978-1-4008-3892-9 / 9781400838929