ISSN: 2032-9229

Issue 2, 2013

Editor(s)-in-Chief: Xiao Gaoxi

Articles
Information

Self organized hotspots and social tomography
Appears in:
comsys 13(2): e1

Authors:
Jianbo Gao, Qian Han, Xiaoliang Lu, Lei Yang, Jing Hu

Abstract:
A social network often has numerous interesting attributes. When an attribute is quantified, a social tomography would arise from the underlying social network. One of the most interesting attributes is crime hotspots, whose existence has been strongly supported by observations that serious crime…A social network often has numerous interesting attributes. When an attribute is quantified, a social tomography would
arise from the underlying social network. One of the most interesting attributes is crime hotspots, whose existence has
been strongly supported by observations that serious crimes ranging from residential burglary to homicide are strongly
patterned in time and space, and by mathematical modeling. So far, however, the structures of hotspots, including their
size distributions, have not been adequately studied. Here, we focus on a special type of hotspots, the sex offender
clusters, in the United States, and show that their size distribution, where size is defined as the ratio between sex offender
population and total population in a 5-digit zip code area, follows a power-law distribution. In contrast, such local total
population, both general and sex offenders, do not quite follow power-laws. A heavy-tailed power-law distribution is
fundamentally different from a thin-tailed distribution such as a Poisson distribution, and can be used as an objective
criterion for defining sex offender clusters. More fundamentally, a power-law is a defining property of self-similarity or
fractal behavior. Therefore, our finding indicates that sex offender clusters, size-wise, self-organize into a fractal, due to
interplay of economic conditions of offenders, policies and public perceptions.
more »
Power-law of Aggregate-size Spectra in Natural Systems
Appears in:
comsys 13(2): e2

Authors:
Matteo Convertino, Filippo Simini, Filippo Catani, Igor Linkov, Gregory A. Kiker

Abstract:
Patterns of animate and inanimate systems show remarkable similarities in their aggregation. One similarity is the double-Pareto distribution of the aggregate-size of system components. Different models have been developed to predict aggregates of system components. However, not many models have …Patterns of animate and inanimate systems show remarkable similarities in their aggregation. One similarity is the
double-Pareto distribution of the aggregate-size of system components. Different models have been developed to predict
aggregates of system components. However, not many models have been developed to describe probabilistically the
aggregate-size distribution of any system regardless of the intrinsic and extrinsic drivers of the aggregation process. Here
we consider natural animate systems, from one of the greatest mammals - the African elephant (Loxodonta africana)
- to the Escherichia coli bacteria, and natural inanimate systems in river basins. Considering aggregates as islands and
their perimeter as a curve mirroring the sculpting network of the system, the probability of exceedence of the drainage
area, and the Hack’s law are shown to be the the Korˇcak’s law and the perimeter-area relationship for river basins. The
perimeter-area relationship, and the probability of exceedence of the aggregate-size provide a meaningful estimate of the
same fractal dimension. Systems aggregate because of the influence exerted by a physical or processes network within
the system domain. The aggregate-size distribution is accurately derived using the null-method of box-counting on the
occurrences of system components. The importance of the aggregate-size spectrum relies on its ability to reveal system
form, function, and dynamics also as a function of other coupled systems. Variations of the fractal dimension and of the
aggregate-size distribution are related to changes of systems that are meaningful to monitor because potentially critical
for these systems.
more »

Scope

Interdisciplinary studies on complex systems have gained extensive research interests. Significant impacts have been made by such studies in a wide range of different areas including physics, biology, economics, social sciences, computer sciences, electrical, mechanical and civil engineering, etc. …

This journal aims to reflect the interdisciplinary features of the exciting studies on complex systems. The scope include, but are not limited to, complex networks, complex social and economic systems, complex biological systems, complex engineering systems, complex system methods, and general complexity sciences, etc.

On a peer-review basis, we publish full papers, letters, surveys, as well as essays. We welcome quick work-in-progress reports on preliminary research results with novelty. We also welcome comprehensive reports on finished projects. Innovative ideas and more insights into complex systems and their applications are what we are looking for. You are cordially welcome to join us to make this journal a success.

Topics

The scope of the journal includes, but is not limited to:

Complex networks
Complex social systems
Complex economic systems
Complex biological systems
Complex engineering systems
Complex system modelling
Complex system simulation
Complex system theories
Complex systems o…

The scope of the journal includes, but is not limited to:

Complex networks
Complex social systems
Complex economic systems
Complex biological systems
Complex engineering systems
Complex system modelling
Complex system simulation
Complex system theories
Complex systems of complex systems
Complexity in arts and music
General complexity sciences
New frontiers of complex systems

Journal Blurb

Temporarily closed Open Access journal on complex networks, complex social and economic systems, and more, with no publishing fees

Publisher: ICST
ISSN: 2032-9229
Volume: 1

Published: 2013-05-15

EUDL

Self organized hotspots and social tomography

Power-law of Aggregate-size Spectra in Natural Systems

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