Green Careers Panel Discussion
Physics Colloquuium, Self-organised lane formation and optimised traffic flow in army ants
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Physics Colloquium
Prof. Iain Couzin, Princeton U., Ecological Sciences
| What |
|
|---|---|
| When |
Apr 09, 2008 from 04:00 PM to 05:00 PM |
| Where | MR419N |
| Contact Name | Daniel Greenberger |
| Contact Phone | 212-650-5577 |
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We show how the movement rules of individual ants on trails can lead to a
collective choice of direction and the formation of distinct traffic lanes
that minimise congestion. We develop, and evaluate the results of, a new
model with a quantitative study of the behaviour of the army ant Eciton
burchelli. Colonies of this species have up to 200,000 foragers and
transport more than 3,000 prey items an hour over raiding columns that
exceed 100m. It is an ideal species to test the predictions of our model
because it forms pheromone trails that are populated densely with very
swift ants. The model explores the influence of turning rates and local
perception on traffic flow. The behaviour of real army ants is such that
they occupy the specific region of parameter space in which lanes form and
traffic flow is maximised.
collective choice of direction and the formation of distinct traffic lanes
that minimise congestion. We develop, and evaluate the results of, a new
model with a quantitative study of the behaviour of the army ant Eciton
burchelli. Colonies of this species have up to 200,000 foragers and
transport more than 3,000 prey items an hour over raiding columns that
exceed 100m. It is an ideal species to test the predictions of our model
because it forms pheromone trails that are populated densely with very
swift ants. The model explores the influence of turning rates and local
perception on traffic flow. The behaviour of real army ants is such that
they occupy the specific region of parameter space in which lanes form and
traffic flow is maximised.
