Self-organization and complexity: a new age for theory, computation and experiment.
I first describe the notion of self-organization as a property of far-from-equilibrium nonlinear dissipative dynamical systems. Rather than describing such complex systems at a purely phenomenological level, however, I focus attention on the emergent nature of this complexity, by analysing a few examples of physical and physicochemical systems with simple underlying microscopic dynamics yet complex, self-organizing macroscopic properties. These include several mesoscopic models of fluid dynamics as well as a modern approach to nucleation and growth phenomena. Finally, I discuss how the advent of computational grids is set to provide a major boost to the study of such complex, self-organizing systems.
Coveney
Peter V
PV
Centre for Computational Science, Department of Chemistry, University College London, 20 Gordon Street, London WC1H 0AJ, UK. p.v.coveney@ucl.ac.uk
D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D003195:Computer Communication Networks; D003205:Computing Methodologies; D003460:Crystallization / Q000379:methods; D005246:Feedback; D005740:Gases / Q000737:chemistry; D006706:Homeostasis; D008081:Liposomes / Q000737:chemistry*; D008560:Membrane Fluidity; D008823:Micelles; D017711:Nonlinear Dynamics; D012212:Rheology / Q000379:methods*
D005740:Gases; D008081:Liposomes; D008823:Micelles