Modeling Complex Dynamic Systemswith

StarLogoin the Supercomputing Challenge

http://education.mit.edu/starlogo

StarLogo is a computer modeling tool Developed at the

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

Designed to enable people to build their own models of complex dynamic systems.

Emphasizes “Learning by creating and observing”.

Used by students, teachers, and researchers to develop a deeper understanding of the patterns and processes in the world around us.

A “Forest Fire” model created with StarLogo

StarLogo is a programming language Easy-to-learn programming

commands can be used to produce effective and interesting models of natural or hypothetical systems

Advanced programming commands allow for more complex modeling and rich data output

A list of all programming commands are available on the StarLogo website

Creating Computer Models with StarLogo Create models or simulations by writing simple rules

for individual “creatures” or “agents” to follow No sophisticated mathematics or programming required Explore the behavior of complex systems

ThePredator,Prey, andGrassModel

Key Elements of a StarLogo Model The “Observer” program – controls the world The “Turtles” program – animates the agents The “Patches” – reveal the world’s “terrain”

An example StarLogo model Rabbits and Grass

Grass grows Rabbits eat grass or die Rabbits reproduce

Using StarLogo in the Challenge

The StarLogo language can be used to create models or simulations of real-life or hypothetical phenomena.

Some projects can be modeled using StarLogo, others are not suitable for modeling in StarLogo.

Is StarLogo appropriate for your project?

Modeling and Computational Science

• A model is a simplified representation of the interaction of real-world objects in a complex dynamic system.

• The goal is to gain an understanding of how the model’s results relate to possible real-world phenomena.

• Random factors built into the model and variables changed by the user cause different results to be generated when the model is run repeatedly.

• Models are just one component of the computational science process.

The Computational Science Process

StarLogo fits in this process as the Computational Model

Begin here

What are complex dynamic systems?Complex difficult-to-understand or difficult to predict

Dynamicmoving, changing

“Complex Dynamic Systems”are collections of simple units or agents interacting in a system. Large-scale system behaviors may change, evolve, or adapt.

System structure or System structure or patterns patterns emergeemerge from simple from simple interactions of its agentsinteractions of its agents

There is no central control – it There is no central control – it is a is a decentralizeddecentralized system system

The system The system self-organizesself-organizes

Characteristics of Complex Adaptive Systems

Some examples of Complex Adaptive Systems

Global climate patternsGlobal climate patterns A termite moundA termite mound Highway traffic patternsHighway traffic patterns The spread of a disease in a The spread of a disease in a

populationpopulation The evolution of ideas in a The evolution of ideas in a

societysociety A food web in an ecosystemA food web in an ecosystem

How to get started with StarLogo

Download StarLogo from the internet:http://education.mit.edu/starlogo

Copy StarLogo from the CDROM provided at this conference

StarLogo is a free program provided by M.I.T.

or,

StarLogo Learning Resources

The book The websitehttp://education.mit.edu/starlogo

The End