| 1. |
- Gerlee, Philip, 1980, et al.
(författare)
-
Scientific Models : Red Atoms, White Lies and Black Boxes in a Yellow Book
- 2016
-
Bok (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- A zebrafish, the hull of a miniature ship, a mathematical equation and a food chain - what do these things have in common? They are examples of models used by scientists to isolate and study particular aspects of the world around us. This book begins by introducing the concept of a scientific model from an intuitive perspective, drawing parallels to mental models and artistic representations. It then recounts the history of modelling from the 16th century up until the present day. The iterative process of model building is described and discussed in the context of complex models with high predictive accuracy versus simpler models that provide more of a conceptual understanding. To illustrate the diversity of opinions within the scientific community, we also present the results of an interview study, in which ten scientists from different disciplines describe their views on modelling and how models feature in their work. Lastly, it includes a number of worked examples that span different modelling approaches and techniques. It provides a comprehensive introduction to scientific models and shows how models are constructed and used in modern science. It also addresses the approach to, and the culture surrounding modelling in different scientific disciplines. It serves as an inspiration for model building and also facilitates interdisciplinary collaborations by showing how models are used in different scientific fields. The book is aimed primarily at students in the sciences and engineering, as well as students at teacher training colleges but will also appeal to interested readers wanting to get an overview of scientific modelling in general and different modelling approaches in particular.
|
|
| 2. |
- Gerlee, Philip, 1980, et al.
(författare)
-
Scientific Models
- 2016
-
Bok (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- A zebrafish, the hull of a miniature ship, a mathematical equation and a food chain - what do these things have in common? They are examples of models used by scientists to isolate and study particular aspects of the world around us. This book begins by introducing the concept of a scientific model from an intuitive perspective, drawing parallels to mental models and artistic representations. It then recounts the history of modelling from the 16th century up until the present day. The iterative process of model building is described and discussed in the context of complex models with high predictive accuracy versus simpler models that provide more of a conceptual understanding. To illustrate the diversity of opinions within the scientific community, we also present the results of an interview study, in which ten scientists from different disciplines describe their views on modelling and how models feature in their work. Lastly, it includes a number of worked examples that span different modelling approaches and techniques. It provides a comprehensive introduction to scientific models and shows how models are constructed and used in modern science. It also addresses the approach to, and the culture surrounding modelling in different scientific disciplines. It serves as an inspiration for model building and also facilitates interdisciplinary collaborations by showing how models are used in different scientific fields. The book is aimed primarily at students in the sciences and engineering, as well as students at teacher training colleges but will also appeal to interested readers wanting to get an overview of scientific modelling in general and different modelling approaches in particular.
|
|
| 3. |
- Mamontov, Eugen, 1955
(författare)
-
Ordinary differential equation system for population of individuals and the corresponding probabilistic model
- 2008
-
Ingår i: Mathl. Computer Modelling. - : Elsevier BV. - 0895-7177.
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The key model for particle populations in statistical mechanics is the Bogolyubov–Born– Green–Kirkwood–Yvon (BBGKY) equation chain. It is derived mainly from the Hamilton ordinary differential equation (ODE) system for the vectors of the particle states in the particle position-momentum phase space. Many problems beyond physics or chemistry, for instance, in the living-matter sciences (biology, medicine, ecology, and scoiology) make it necessary to extend the notion of a particle to an individual, or active particle. This challenge is met by the generalized kinetic theory. It implements the extension by extending the phase space from the space of the position-momentum vectors to more rich spaces formed by the state vectors with the entries which need not be limited to the entries of the position and momentum: they include other scalar variables (e.g., those associated with modelling homeorhesis or other features inherent to the individuals). One can assume that the dynamics of the state vector in the extended space, i.e. the states of the individuals (rather than common particles) is also described by an ODE system. The latter, however, need not be the Hamilton one. The question is how one can derive the analogue of the BBGKY paradigm for the new settings. The present work proposes an answer to this question. It applies a very limited number of carefully selected tools of probability theory and common statistical mechanics. It in particular uses the well-known feature that the maximum number of the individuals which can mutually interact simultaneously is bounded by a fixed value of a few units. The present approach results in the finite system of equations for the reduced many-individual distribution functions thereby eliminating the so-called closure problem inevitable in the BBGKY theory. The thermodynamic-limit assumption is not needed either. The system includes consistently derived terms of all of the basic types known in kinetic theory, in particular, both the “mean-field” and scattering-integral terms, and admits the kinetic equation of the form allowing a direct chemical-reaction reading. The present approach can deal with Hamilton’s equation systems which are nonmonogenic and not treated in statistical mechanics. The proposed modelling suggests the basis of the generalized kinetic theory and may serve as the stochastic mechanics of population of individuals.
|
|
| 4. |
|
|
| 5. |
- Mamontov, Eugen, 1955, et al.
(författare)
-
Managing panic-stricken crowds: The need in quantitative models for social dynamics
- 2007
-
Ingår i: Abstract Booklet, The 8th Annual Conference of the European Sociological Association.
-
Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Panics typically occur during disaster or social crisis. Panics in crowds in public sites (airports, hospitals, supermarkets, office buildings, air- or sea-liners, trains, stadiums, downtown areas, etc.) often cause stampedes leading to injuries or deaths. How can we best organize public events at existing sites in order to prevent the tragic outcomes? How can one design new public sites to avoid the consequences of panic? What methods and tools can be applied? These questions determine the focus of the present work. Obviously, experimental approaches are inapplicable. Intuitive problem solving does not assure specific and consistent solutions. Therefore, the work concentrates on the non-intuitive, model-based approaches. Evaluation of the model-based solutions involves quantitative characteristics, e.g., the time of the evacuation, the probability for individuals to get injured, the concentration of oxygen, etc. Subsequently, any suitable model must be quantitative. Moreover, the behaviour of crowds develops continuously in both space and time. Thus, the models must also be space-time continuous. The work analyzes these and other features of the models for social dynamics and emphasizes the key differences from the dynamical models in the natural sciences studying nonliving matter. The related application aspects and directions for future research are also discussed.
|
|
| 6. |
- Wojcik, Andrzej, et al.
(författare)
-
Educating about radiation risks in high schools : towards improved public understanding of the complexity of low-dose radiation health effects
- 2019
-
Ingår i: Radiation and Environmental Biophysics. - : SPRINGER. - 0301-634X .- 1432-2099. ; 58:1, s. 13-20
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The levels of stochastic health effects following exposure to low doses of ionising radiation are not well known. A consequence of the uncertainty is that any radiation exposure is met with deep concernboth by the public and by scientists who disagree about how the partly conflicting results from low-dose studies should be interpreted. The concern is not limited to ionising radiation but is inherent to other areas of modern technologies such as biotechnology or electromagnetic fields. The everyday presence of advanced technologies confronts people with the necessity to take decisions and there is an ongoing debate regarding both the nature and magnitude of potential risks and how education efforts may empower peoples ' decision-making. In the field of radiation research there are different opinions regarding the optimal education methods, spanning from the idea that peoples' fears will be eliminated by introducing dose thresholds below which the risk is assumed to be zero, to suggestions of concentrating research efforts in an attempt to eliminate all uncertainties regarding the effects of low doses. The aim of this paper was to present our approach which is based on developing an education program at the secondary school level where students learn to understand the role of science in society. Teaching about radiation risk as a socio-scientific issue is not based on presenting facts but on showing risks in a broader perspective aiming at developing students' competency in making decisions based on informed assessment. We hope to stimulate and encourage other researchers to pursue similar approaches.
|
|
| 7. |
- Bartelink, Eric J., et al.
(författare)
-
A Case of Contested Cremains Analyzed Through Metric and Chemical Comparison
- 2015
-
Ingår i: Journal of Forensic Sciences. - : Wiley. - 0022-1198 .- 1556-4029. ; 60:4, s. 1068-1073
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Since the 1980s, cremation has become the fastest growing area of the U.S. funeral industry. At the same time, the number of litigations against funeral homes and cremation facilities has increased. Forensic anthropologists are often asked to determine whether the contents of an urn are actually cremated bone, and to address questions regarding the identity of the remains. This study uses both metric and chemical analyses for resolving a case of contested cremains. A cremains weight of 2021.8 g was predicted based on the decedent's reported stature and weight. However, the urn contents weighed 4173.5 g. The urn contents also contained material inconsistent with cremains (e.g., moist sediment, stones, ferrous metal). Analysis using XRD and SEM demonstrated that the urn contained thermally altered bone as well as inorganic material consistent with glass fiber cement. Although forensically challenging, cremains cases such as this one can be resolved using a multidisciplinary approach.
|
|
