DISTRIBUTION (Hierarchical)
| Collection | International Encyclopedia of Systems and Cybernetics |
|---|---|
| Year | 2004 |
| Vol. (num.) | 2(1) |
| ID | ◀ 966 ▶ |
| Object type | General information, Human sciences |
The result of the progressive propagation of a phenomenon or process around one or various original centres.
The original centres of diffusion actuate as kinds of permanently active sources producing elements that will progressively migrate at growing distances and eventually generate secondary centres.
Such secondary focuses are generally produced by a discontinuous jump at a distance of some isolated elements.
The process will eventually lead to the saturation of wider and wider areas.
This very general model can be used for quantitative modelization of many different processes, as for example:
- propagation of epidemics or pandemics (P. GOULD and R. WALLACE, 1994)
- expansion of urban systems (P. ALLEN, 1982)
- progression of invasive vegetal and animal species
- diffusion of technical innovations.
See also
Percolation, System (Composite)