Natural Complexity: A Modeling Handbook

By Paul Charbonneau

This book provides a short, hands-on introduction to the science of complexity using simple computational models of natural complex systems—with models and exercises drawn from physics, chemistry, geology, and biology. By working through the models and engaging in additional computational explorations suggested at the end of each chapter, readers very quickly develop an understanding of how complex structures and behaviors can emerge in natural phenomena as diverse as avalanches, forest fires, earthquakes, chemical reactions, animal flocks, and epidemic diseases.

Natural Complexity provides the necessary topical background, complete source codes in Python, and detailed explanations for all computational models. Ideal for undergraduates, beginning graduate students, and researchers in the physical and natural sciences, this unique handbook requires no advanced mathematical knowledge or programming skills and is suitable for self-learners with a working knowledge of precalculus and high-school physics.

Self-contained and accessible, Natural Complexity enables readers to identify and quantify common underlying structural and dynamical patterns shared by the various systems and phenomena it examines, so that they can form their own answers to the questions of what natural complexity is and how it arises.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Princeton University Press
• Release date: May 16, 2017
• ISBN: 9781400885497

Paul Charbonneau

Paul Charbonneau, an aries and a trooper.A survivor. Born in 1966 and raised in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Has lived a tough life, sexual and child abuse, lived in numerous foster care at a young age. Has lived through poverty, hunger, homelessness, prostitution and unfortunately an hiv-aids survivor, and been diagnosed with this disease since 1988. As took myself 5 years to finish this book. Had to go through federal prison, related to my disease, marriage and love. Finally today this book is made and is something I had to do to share my story with all to help with this dreadful disease and to share an important time in my life with my special readers. I also wrote this book to help people with hiv-aids and families and friends. I wrote this book with my heart for all to read. Peace...

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