Multidisciplinary computational modelling: From planetary science to human populations

多学科计算建模：从行星科学到人类群体

• 批准号: 355394-2011
• 负责人: Thommes, Edward
• 金额: $ 1.09万
• 依托单位: University of Guelph
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2015
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2015-01-01 至 2016-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=572565
• 关键词: Multidisciplinary; computational; modelling; planetary; science

This research project spans two very different areas, which nevertheless can be understood through similar computer-modelling techniques. One is the origin of planetary systems---both our own as well as the nearly 500 that have been discovered to date around other stars. Our previous NSERC-funded work already gave us important new insights into how the characteristics of a planetary system are determined by its very early "birth" environment, and how our own Solar System fits into the picture. One focus of our ongoing work will be the startling, recently-discovered class of "distant giants", Jupiter-like planets moving on orbits that can exceed 100 times the size of Earth's orbit. We will also work to better understand the formation of Earth-like planets around other stars, and how commonly such planets might be habitable. Our second area of research involves modelling human populations. For example, we are interested in is how consumers react to the introduction of "eco-friendly" products into a market (hybrid cars, energy-efficient appliances, etc.), and in understanding ways in which governments can encourage the adoption of such products (e.g. through rebate programs). Another question involves the spread of influenza in a population; here, our major objective is to find optimal vaccination strategies. In each case, we will approach the problem by using a computer model made up of many individual parts that interact with each other by a set of rules. For planets, these are called "N-body simulations", and the rule is simply gravity. For human populations, they are called "agent-based models", and the rules can involve such diverse things as social pressure, product popularity, and infectiousness of flu patients

该研究项目跨越两个非常不同的领域，但可以通过类似的计算机建模技术来理解。 一个是行星系统的起源-包括我们自己的行星系统以及迄今为止在其他恒星周围发现的近500个行星系统。我们之前的NSERC资助的工作已经为我们提供了重要的新见解，了解行星系统的特征如何由其早期“出生”环境决定，以及我们自己的太阳系如何融入其中。 的一个重点 我们正在进行的工作将是令人震惊的、最近发现的一类“遥远的巨星”，即类似木星的行星，其轨道大小可以超过地球轨道的100倍。 我们还将努力更好地了解 围绕其他恒星的类地行星的形成，以及这些行星是否适合居住。 我们的第二个研究领域涉及模拟人类群体。 例如，我们感兴趣的是消费者对“环保”产品（混合动力汽车、节能电器等）进入市场的反应，以及了解政府鼓励采用此类产品的方式（例如通过折扣方案）。 另一个问题涉及流感在人群中的传播;在这里，我们的主要目标是找到最佳的疫苗接种策略。 在每一种情况下，我们都将通过使用由许多独立部分组成的计算机模型来解决问题，这些部分通过一组规则相互作用。 对于行星来说，这些被称为“N体模拟”，规则就是引力。 对于人类群体，它们被称为“基于代理的模型”，规则可以涉及社会压力，产品流行程度和流感患者的传染性等多种多样的事情