Physics of complex systems: emergent properties and dynamical organization

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Physical, biological and chemical systems often have properties that cannot be understood by simply studying their building blocks or constituents but are emergent. The very nature of emergence or complexity can be summarized by the statement that such a system is more than the sum of its parts. Typically, emergent properties and patterns are intimately related to a dynamical organization process in space and time far away from equilibrium. Understanding emergent properties and patterns, their stability and the self-organization processes leading to them is one of the central quests of modern physics.Prominent examples of such systems include seismicity and the human heart, with immense importance for society. A detailed understanding of seismicity is required to ensure successful seismic hazard assessment and to test the possibility of successful earthquake prediction. A detailed understanding of the heart dynamics is essential to prevent fibrillation and sudden cardiac death.This research program on "Physics of complex systems: Emergent properties and dynamical organization" will establish new general concepts and tools to characterize and understand systems far from equilibrium, will identify generic and universal properties by analyzing observational data sets, and will collaborate with leading experimental and theoretical groups to develop accurate theories for specific classes of systems. The specific phenomena under consideration are in particular seismicity pattern dynamics, rock fracture and defect-mediated turbulence and will provide important guidance for new advances in the field.