Modeling and Simulation

Models and simulations of all kinds are tools for dealing with reality. Humans have always used mental models to better understand the world around them: to make plans, to consider different possibilities, to share ideas with others, to test changes, and to determine whether or not the development of an idea is feasible. The book Modeling and Simulation uses exactly the same approach except that the traditional mental model is translated into a computer model, and the simulations of alternative outcomes under varying conditions are programmed on the computer. The advantage of this method is that the computer can track the multitude of implications and consequences in complex relationships much more quickly and reliably than the human mind. This unique interdisciplinary text not only provides a self contained and complete guide to the methods and mathematical background of modeling and simulation software (SIMPAS) and a collection of 50 systems models on an accompanying diskette. Students from fields as diverse as ecology and economics will find this clear interactive package an instructive and engaging guide.

Table of Contents:
1 SYSTEMS AND MODELS 1.1 Tasks of Model Construction and Simulation 1.2 Dynamic Models and Model Development 1.3 Fundamental Properties of Systems 1.4 Fundamental Properties of Models 2 STRUCTURE 2.1 Developing the Influence Diagram 2.2 Differentiation of the Model Concept 2.3 Simulation and Model Behavior 2.4 Summary of Important Results 1 SYSTEM STATE 3.1 System Elements and Basic System Structure 3.2 System State and State Computation 3.3 Some Elementary Systems and Their Behavior 3.4 Dimensional Analysis 3.5 Model Development for the Rotating Pendulum 3.6 Model Development for a Fishing System 3.7 Nondimensional Model Equations and System Similarity 3.8 Summary of Important Results 4 BEHAVIOR 4.1 Simulator for a Standard Programming Language: S1MPAS 4.2 Simulation of Rotating Pendulum Dynamics Using SIMPAS 4.3 Simulation of Fishery Dynamics with SIMPAS 4.4 Graphic-interactive Simulation Environment: STELLA 4.5 Summary of Important Results CHOICE AND DESIGN 5.1 Criteria and Evaluation of System Behavior 5.2 Path Analysis 5.3 Policy Analysis 5.4 System Design 5.5 Summary of Important Results SYSTEMS ZOO 6.1 Dynamic Systems with One State Variable 6.2 Dynamic Systems with Two State Variables 7.2 Matrix Operations for Linear Dynamic Systems 7.3 Behavior and Stability of Linear Systems in Unforced Motion 7.4 Behavior of Linear Systems in Forced Motion 7.5 Behavior and Stability of Non-linear Dynamic Systems 7.6 Summary of Important Results