Evolution in complex systems

What features characterize complex system dynamics? Power laws and scale invariance of fluctuations are often taken as the hallmarks of complexity, drawing on analogies with equilibrium critical phenomena. Here we argue that slow, directed dynamics, during which the system's properties change significantly, is fundamental. The underlying dynamics is related to a slow, decelerating but spasmodic release of an intrinsic strain or tension. Time series of a number of appropriate observables can be analyzed to confirm this effect. The strain arises from local frustration. As the strain is released through “quakes,” some system variable undergoes record statistics with accompanying log‐Poisson statistics for the quake event times. We demonstrate these phenomena via two very different systems: a model of magnetic relaxation in type II superconductors and the Tangled Nature model of evolutionary ecology and show how quantitative indications of aging can be found. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Complexity 10: 49–56, 2004     

Discrete mathematics in primary and secondary schools in the United States

This article provides a status report on discrete mathematics in America's schools, including an overview of publications and programs that have had major impact. It discusses why discrete mathematics should be introduced in the schools and the authors' efforts to advocate, facilitate, and support the adoption of discrete mathematics topics in the schools. Their perspective is that discrete mathematics should be viewed not only as a collection of new and interesting mathematical topics, but, more importantly, as a vehicle for providing teachers with a new way to think about traditional mathematical topics and new strategies for engaging their students in the study of mathematics.     

Homogeneous quaternionic Kähler structures of linear type

A classification of homogeneous quaternionic Kähler structures by real tensors is given and related to Fino's representation theoretic decomposition. A relationship between the modules whose dimension grows linearly and quaternionic hyperbolic space is found. To cite this article: M. Castrillón López et al., C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, Ser. I 338 (2004).     

Symmetries of flat rank two distributions and sub-Riemannian structures

Flat sub-Riemannian structures are local approximations -- nilpotentizations -- of sub-Riemannian structures at regular points. Lie algebras of symmetries of flat maximal growth distributions and sub-Riemannian structures of rank two are computed in dimensions 3, 4, and 5.

     

Multi-point Taylor expansions of analytic functions

Taylor expansions of analytic functions are considered with respect to several points, allowing confluence of any of them. Cauchy-type formulas are given for coefficients and remainders in the expansions, and the regions of convergence are indicated. It is explained how these expansions can be used in deriving uniform asymptotic expansions of integrals. The method is also used for obtaining Laurent expansions in several points as well as Taylor-Laurent expansions.

     

Learning to See: Making Sense of the Mathematics of Change in Middle School

In this article, we will describe the results of a study of 6th grade students learning about the mathematics of change. The students in this study worked with software environments for the computer and the graphing calculator that included a simulation of a moving elevator, linked to a graph of its velocity vs. time. We will describe how the students and their teacher negotiated the mathematical meanings of these representations, in interaction with the software and other representational tools available in the classroom. The class developed ways of selectively attending to specific features of stacks of centimeter cubes, hand-drawn graphs, and graphs (labeled velocity vs. time) on the computer screen. In addition, the class became adept at imagining the motions that corresponded to various velocity vs. time graphs. In this article, we describe this development as a process of learning to see mathematical representations of motion. The main question this article addresses is: How do students learn to see mathematical representations in ways that are consistent with the discipline of mathematics? This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Phase Transitions in Traffic Models

It is suggested that the question of existence of a jamming phase transition in a broad class of single-lane cellular-automaton traffic models may be studied using a correspondence to the asymmetric chipping model. In models where such correspondence is applicable, jamming phase transition does not take place. Rather, the system exhibits a smooth crossover between free-flow and jammed states, as the car density is increased.     

Equilibrium States in the Quadruple–Kerr Solution

The extended quadruple–Kerr metric is used to consider equilibrium states of four collinear Kerr particles. We explain our previous failure to solve numerically the full set of the balance equations, and we derive a self–consistent system of the axis conditions leading to the equilibrium of all four constituents which can be black holes or hyperextreme objects. The equilibrium configurations obtained in this paper exhibit similar features with those occurring in the systems of two Kerr particles, for instance, the balance of four Kerr black holes with positive masses does not seem possible. Equilibrium states of two identical compound Kerr objects are also discussed.