Date of Publication

12-5-2023

Document Type

Bachelor's Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Science in Physics with Specialization in Medical Instrumentation

Subject Categories

Physics

College

College of Science

Department/Unit

Physics

Thesis Advisor

Rene C. Batac

Defense Panel Chair

Romeric F. Pobre

Defense Panel Member

Emmanuel T. Rodulfo
Jude Maria V. Antenorcruz

Abstract (English)

Real-world phenomena that are observed across society, nature, economics, psychology, and other aspects are represented as complex dynamical systems. Such complex dynamical systems may be represented by sandpile models exhibiting power-law statistics, which is a characteristic of self-organized criticality (SOC), as proposed by Bak, Tang, and Wiesenfeld. Power-law statistics indicating SOC mechanisms in a system, where internal mechanisms have little to no impact on resultant behaviors, are frequently used as a benchmark for identifying complex systems in the real-world, such as earthquakes, avalanches, wealth distribution, among others. Modifications like one by Zhang (1989) to the sandpile model are implemented to mimic real-world mechanisms while retaining the model’s simplicity. In this work, two implementations are proposed: spatial heterogeneity and temporal memory. In a sandpile with spatial heterogeneity, cells along a sandpile grid had different threshold values, where greater values indicated an ability to hold more information before reaching a critical state and transmitting this information. The results of implementing spatial heterogeneity revealed higher likelihoods of small avalanches in the sandpile grid and smaller occurrences of larger events due to cell response. SOC was retained and was compared to data obtained from real-world landslide and avalanche phenomena. Implementing temporal memory utilized a fortification factor dependent on previous avalanche events that triggered a site. Sandpiles with small fortification factors followed power-law distributions, evolving to exponential distributions with increasing values. This suggests that real-world systems with SOC may be impacted over time by repetitive, large scale actions. Further studies may be conducted to investigate different responses in spatial heterogeneity and the possibility of fortification as a result of memory in real-world systems.

Abstract Format

html

Abstract (Filipino)

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Abstract Format

html

Language

English

Format

Electronic

Keywords

Self-organizing systems

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Embargo Period

1-23-2024

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