Modeling Complex Systems Softcover reprint of hardcover 2nd ed. 2010 Edition
Author(s): Nino Boccara (Author)
Publisher: Springer
Publication Date: 5 Nov. 2012
Edition: Softcover reprint of hardcover 2nd ed. 2010
Language: English
Print length: 508 pages
ISBN-10: 1461426812
ISBN-13: 9781461426813
Book Description
The essential points of this ?rst chapter are • The de?nition of a complex system • The notion of emergence • The de?nition of a model • The notion of dynamical system This book is about the dynamics of complex systems. Roughly speaking, a system is a collection of interacting elements making up a whole such as, for instance, a mechanical clock. While many systems may be quite complicated, they are not necessarily considered to be complex. Today, most authors agree on the essential properties a system has to possess to be called complex. The ?rst section is devoted to the description of these properties. To interpret the time evolution of a system, scientists build up models, which are simpli?ed mathematical representations of the system. The exact purpose of a model and what its essential features should be is explained in the second section. The mathematical models that will be discussed in this book are dynami- 1 calsystems. A dynamical system is essentially a set of equations whose- lutiondescribesthe evolution,asafunction oftime, ofthe state ofthe system. There exist di?erent types of dynamical systems. Some of them are de?ned in the third section. 1 There is an extensive literature on mathematical modeling. The reader may, for example, consult [11,88,163,233].
Editorial Reviews
Review
From the reviews of the second edition:
“Boccara’s approach is firmly based on dynamical systems theory, differential equations, and maps, with a very solid mathematical treatment, cast at times in terms of definitions and theorems. … The book is very well suited for graduate or advanced undergraduate studies and comes with a problem and solution section at the end of every chapter. … The book covers in any case a plethora of models and is highly recommendable for everybody wishing to attain a good knowledge of classical complex system theory.” (Claudius Gros, SIAM Review, Vol. 53 (4), 2011)
From the Back Cover
Modeling Complex Systems, 2nd Edition, explores the process of modeling complex systems, providing examples from such diverse fields as ecology, epidemiology, sociology, seismology, and economics. It illustrates how models of complex systems are built and provides indispensable mathematical tools for studying their dynamics.
This vital introductory text is useful for advanced undergraduate students in various scientific disciplines, and serves as an important reference book for graduate students and young researchers.
This enhanced second edition includes: .
-recent research results and bibliographic references
-extra footnotes which provide biographical information on cited scientists who have made significant contributions to the field
-new and improved worked-out examples to aid a student’s comprehension of the content
-exercises to challenge the reader and complement the material
Nino Boccara is also the author of Essentials ofMathematica: With Applications to Mathematics and Physics (Springer, 2007).
About the Author
Dr. Nino Boccara is Professor Emeritus of Physics at the University of Illinois at Chicago, Professor Emeritus of Mathematics at the Ecole Supérieure de Physique et Chimie de la Ville de Paris, and Former Director of Research in Theoretical Physics at the CNRS.
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