12.086 / 12.586 Modeling Environmental Complexity, Fall 2008

Rothman, Daniel

Author(s)

Rothman, Daniel

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Alternative title

Modeling Environmental Complexity

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Abstract

This course provides an introduction to the study of environmental phenomena that exhibit both organized structure and wide variability—i.e., complexity. Through focused study of a variety of physical, biological, and chemical problems in conjunction with theoretical models, we learn a series of lessons with wide applicability to understanding the structure and organization of the natural world. Students will also learn how to construct minimal mathematical, physical, and computational models that provide informative answers to precise questions.

Date issued

2008-12

URI

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/75806

Department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences; Massachusetts Institute of Technology. History Section; Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Music and Theater Arts Section; Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Political Science; Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Program in Science, Technology and Society; MIT Program in Women's and Gender Studies; MIT Program in Writing & Humanistic Studies

Other identifiers

12.086-Fall2008

local: 12.086

local: 12.586

local: IMSCP-MD5-98ccd2cc9a64cf8f3d06a77f60cc37fe

Keywords

river networks, drainage basins, percolation theory, fractals, scaling, universality, ecological dynamics, metabolic scaling, food webs, biogeochemical cycles

Collections

MIT OCW Archived Courses