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Full-Text Articles in Probability

Random Search Models Of Foraging Behavior: Theory, Simulation, And Observation., Ben C. Nolting Dec 2013

Random Search Models Of Foraging Behavior: Theory, Simulation, And Observation., Ben C. Nolting

Department of Mathematics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Many organisms, from bacteria to primates, use stochastic movement patterns to find food. These movement patterns, known as search strategies, have recently be- come a focus of ecologists interested in identifying universal properties of optimal foraging behavior. In this dissertation, I describe three contributions to this field. First, I propose a way to extend Charnov's Marginal Value Theorem to the spatially explicit framework of stochastic search strategies. Next, I describe simulations that compare the efficiencies of sensory and memory-based composite search strategies, which involve switching between different behavioral modes. Finally, I explain a new behavioral analysis protocol for identifying the …


The Torsion Angle Of Random Walks, Mu He May 2013

The Torsion Angle Of Random Walks, Mu He

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

In this thesis, we study the expected mean of the torsion angle of an n-step
equilateral random walk in 3D. We consider the random walk is generated within a confining sphere or without a confining sphere: given three consecutive vectors e1 , e2 , and e3 of the random walk then the vectors e1 and e2 define a plane and the vectors e2 and e3 define a second plane. The angle between the two planes is called the torsion angle of the three vectors. Algorithms are …


Simplicial Complexes Obtained From Qualitative Probability Orders, Paul H. Edelman, Tatiana Gvozdeva, Arkadii Slinko Jan 2013

Simplicial Complexes Obtained From Qualitative Probability Orders, Paul H. Edelman, Tatiana Gvozdeva, Arkadii Slinko

Vanderbilt Law School Faculty Publications

The goal of this paper is to introduce a new class of simplicial complexes that naturally generalize the threshold complexes. These will be derived from qualitative probability orders on subsets of a finite set that generalize subset orders induced by probability measures. We show that this new class strictly contains the threshold complexes and is strictly contained in the shifted complexes. We conjecture that this class of complexes is exactly the set of strongly acyclic complexes, a class that has previously appeared in the context of cooperative games. Beyond the results themselves, this new class of complexes allows us to …