TY - GEN
T1 - Natural algorithms
AU - Chazelle, Bernard
PY - 2009
Y1 - 2009
N2 - We provide further evidence that the study of complex self-organizing systems can benefit from an algorithmic perspective. The subject has been traditionally viewed through the lens of physics and control theory. Using tools typically associated with theoretical computer science, we settle an old question in theoretical ecology: bounding the convergence of bird flocks. We bound the time to reach steady state by a tower-of-twos of height linear in the number of birds. We prove that, surprisingly, the tower-of-twos growth is intrinsic to the model. This unexpected result demonstrates the merits of approaching biological dynamical systems as "natural algorithms" and applying algorithmic techniques to them.
AB - We provide further evidence that the study of complex self-organizing systems can benefit from an algorithmic perspective. The subject has been traditionally viewed through the lens of physics and control theory. Using tools typically associated with theoretical computer science, we settle an old question in theoretical ecology: bounding the convergence of bird flocks. We bound the time to reach steady state by a tower-of-twos of height linear in the number of birds. We prove that, surprisingly, the tower-of-twos growth is intrinsic to the model. This unexpected result demonstrates the merits of approaching biological dynamical systems as "natural algorithms" and applying algorithmic techniques to them.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=70349141346&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=70349141346&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1137/1.9781611973068.47
DO - 10.1137/1.9781611973068.47
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:70349141346
SN - 9780898716801
T3 - Proceedings of the Annual ACM-SIAM Symposium on Discrete Algorithms
SP - 422
EP - 431
BT - Proceedings of the 20th Annual ACM-SIAM Symposium on Discrete Algorithms
PB - Association for Computing Machinery
T2 - 20th Annual ACM-SIAM Symposium on Discrete Algorithms
Y2 - 4 January 2009 through 6 January 2009
ER -