Self-Organized Criticality
Emergent Complex Behavior in Physical and Biological Systems

A clear and concise introduction to this new, cross-disciplinary field.

Henrik Jeldtoft Jensen (Author)

9780521483711, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 13 January 1998

170 pages, 42 b/w illus. 1 table 12 exercises
22.8 x 15.3 x 1.9 cm, 0.28 kg

'All in all, I enjoyed the book and found the effort of reading it stimulating and worthwhile.' A. C. Newell, Journal of Fluid Mechanisms

Self-organized criticality (SOC) is based upon the idea that complex behavior can develop spontaneously in certain multi-body systems whose dynamics vary abruptly. This book is a clear and concise introduction to the field of self-organized criticality, and contains an overview of the main research results. The author begins with an examination of what is meant by SOC, and the systems in which it can occur. He then presents and analyzes computer models to describe a number of systems, and he explains the different mathematical formalisms developed to understand SOC. The final chapter assesses the impact of this field of study, and highlights some key areas of new research. The author assumes no previous knowledge of the field, and the book contains several exercises. It will be ideal as a textbook for graduate students taking physics, engineering, or mathematical biology courses in nonlinear science or complexity.

Preface
1. Introduction
2. Characterization of the SOC state
3. Systems exhibiting SOC
4. Computer models
5. The search for a formalism
6. Is it SOC or is it not?
Appendices.

Subject Areas: Physics [PH]