Summary: Eur. Phys. J. Special Topics 157, 173­189 (2008)
© EDP Sciences, Springer-Verlag 2008
DOI: 10.1140/epjst/e2008-00640-0
THE EUROPEAN
PHYSICAL JOURNAL
SPECIAL TOPICS
Anomalous diffusion and the structure of human
transportation networks
D. Brockmanna
Max-Planck-Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization
Abstract. The dispersal of individuals of a species is the key driving force of
various spatiotemporal phenomena which occur on geographical scales. It can
synchronise populations of interacting species, stabilise them, and diversify gene
pools [1­3]. The geographic spread of human infectious diseases such as influenza,
measles and the recent severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is essentially
promoted by human travel which occurs on many length scales and is sustained
by a variety of means of transportation [4­8]. In the light of increasing interna-
tional trade, intensified human traffic, and an imminent influenza A pandemic the
knowledge of dynamical and statistical properties of human dispersal is of funda-
mental importance and acute [7,9,10]. A quantitative statistical theory for human

Source: Amaral, Luis A.N. - Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University

Collections: Physics; Biology and Medicine