The Complex Systems and Statistical Physics Group
Who we are
The Complex Systems and Statistical Physics Group is part of the Theoretical Physics Division in the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Manchester.
Our interests focus on the application of techniques from statistical physics and nonlinear dynamics to study complex systems. We work on a wide range of topics, in particular on problems in biology, in the social sciences and in economics. This includes the modelling of horizontal gene transfer, stochastic dynamics in biological pathways, epidemic spread, problems in game theory and evolutionary dynamics, social complexity, agent-based modelling of evacuation and the analysis of time series from financial markets.
We maintain close links with researchers in other disciplines, including colleagues in the School of Social Sciences, in the Manchester Interdisciplinary Biocentre, the Manchester Business School, and the Centre for Policy Modelling at Manchester Metropolitan University.
We have 2 permanent academic members of staff, five postdoctoral research associates, six PhD students and usually a few visitors.
Recent work
G. Rozhnova, A. Nunes, and A. J. McKane
arxiv:1109.3354, Phys. Rev. E84, 051919 (2011).
WKB calculation of an epidemic outbreak distribution
Andrew J. Black, Alan J. McKane
arxiv:1110.5375, Jour. Stat. Mech.: Theory and Experiment, P12006 (2011)
Multi-Compartment Linear Noise Approximation
Joseph D. Challenger, Alan J. McKane, Jürgen Pahle
arXiv:1112.0672
Demographic noise can lead to the spontaneous formation of species
Tim Rogers, Alan J. McKane, Axel G. Rossberg
arXiv:1111.1152
Effects of noise on convergent game learning dynamics
James BT Sanders, Tobias Galla, Jonathan L Shapiro
arxiv:1109.4853 (submitted to J. Phys. A)
Individual impact of agent actions in financial markets
Alex J. Bladon, Esteban Moro, Tobias Galla
arxiv:1109.0119 (submitted to Phys. Rev. E)
Complexity measures, emergence, and multiparticle correlations
Tobias Galla, Otfried Gühne
arxiv:1107.1180 (submitted to Phys. Rev. E)