Birds on a Wire
Authors
P. L. Krapivsky, S. Redner
Categories
Abstract
We investigate the occupancy statistics of birds on a wire and on higher-dimensional substrates. In one dimension, birds land one by one on a wire and rest where they land. Whenever a newly arriving bird lands within a fixed distance of already resting birds, these resting birds immediately fly away. We determine the steady-state occupancy of the wire, the distribution of gaps between neighboring birds, and other basic statistical features of this process. We discuss conjectures for corresponding observables in higher dimensions.
Birds on a Wire
Categories
Abstract
We investigate the occupancy statistics of birds on a wire and on higher-dimensional substrates. In one dimension, birds land one by one on a wire and rest where they land. Whenever a newly arriving bird lands within a fixed distance of already resting birds, these resting birds immediately fly away. We determine the steady-state occupancy of the wire, the distribution of gaps between neighboring birds, and other basic statistical features of this process. We discuss conjectures for corresponding observables in higher dimensions.
Authors
P. L. Krapivsky, S. Redner
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