title: Aggregation is the key to succeed in random walks.
abstract: In a random walk (RW) in Z an individual starts at 0 and moves at discrete unitary steps to the right or left with respective probabilities p and 1-p. Assuming p > 1/2 and finite a, a > 1, the probability that state a will be reached before -a is Q(a, p) where Q(a, p) > p. Here we introduce the cooperative random walk (CRW) involving two individuals that move independently according to a RW each but dedicate a fraction of time θ to approach the other one unit. This simple strategy seems to be effective in increasing the expected number of individuals arriving to a first. We conjecture that this is a possible underlying mechanism for efficient animal migration under noisy conditions.
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Colima, Bernal Diaz del Castillo 340, Colima, Colima, 28040 Mexico. Electronic address: carlosmh@mac.com.
authors.forename: Carlos M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Hernandez-Suarez
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D016138:Walking / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Collective behavior; Cooperative random walk; Random walk