The Global Dynamics of Cellular Automata: An Atlas of Basin of Attraction Fields of One-Dimensional Cellular Automata (Santa Fe Institute Studies in the Sciences of Complexity Reference Volumes) [Hardcover]

Andrew Wuensche (Author), Mike Lesser (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1992 | ISBN-10: 0201557401 | ISBN-13: 978-0201557404 | Edition: 2nd edition

The book introduces a powerful new global perspective for the study of discrete dynamical systems. After first looking at the unique trajectory of a system's future, an algorithm is also presented that directly computes the multiple merging trajectories that may have constituted the system's past. A given set of cellular parameters will, in a sense, crystallize state space into a set of basins of attraction that will typically have the topology of branching trees rooted on attractor cycles. The book makes accessible the explicit portraits of these mathematical objects through computer-generated graphics. (Book/disk package disk requires an 80286, or higher, IBM PC or compatible with 640K of memory, VGA graphics, and DOS 2.0 or higher.

Editorial Reviews

Review

-- scientific romance -- startling contributions -- problem deemed virtually insoluble attacked and nailed -- Wuensche's stunning DDLab program has grown out of this initial effort --
Stuart Kauffman, COMPLEXITY Vol.5, No. 6, July/Aug 2000.

-- major study -- lessons for social simulation -- tremendous graphical appeal -- new perspective on a dynamical system --
H. Van Dyke Parunak in JASSS, The Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation, Vol.4, Issue 4, Oct 2001.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Perseus Books (Sd); 2nd edition edition (July 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0201557401
• ISBN-13: 978-0201557404
• Product Dimensions: 11.5 x 8.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,471,871 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #95 in Books > Computers & Technology > Programming > Software Design, Testing & Engineering > Coding Theory

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars pretty and interesting images, December 18, 2008

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W Boudville (Terra, Sol 3) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Global Dynamics of Cellular Automata: An Atlas of Basin of Attraction Fields of One-Dimensional Cellular Automata (Santa Fe Institute Studies in the Sciences of Complexity Reference Volumes) (Hardcover)

Cellular automata are a fascinating field, and this book summarises some research done on them in the early 90s. The dynamics are described. There are different types of behaviour depending on the given choices of CA. Typically, a specific CA has some parameters, which are then tweaked to scrutinise the CA.

There are many black and white and colour images. The latter are sometimes quite pretty. But even the black and white images often show interesting structures.

The code referred to by the book ran on computers that are now obsolete. So too is the floppy [who uses these anymore?] that accompanies the book. But a diligent reader should be able to reproduce and recompile the code for newer machines.