STARFLAG
Coordinator
Prof. Giorgio Parisi INFN Italy
Participants
- France: Commissariat a l’Energie Atomique, Centre d'Etudes de Saclay
- Germany: Max Planck Society
- Hungary: E?tv?s Lor?nd Science University
- Italy: Istituto Superiore di Sanita
- Italy: Scuola Normale Superiore
- The Netherlands: Centre of Ecological and Evolutionary Studies of Rijksuniversiteit Groningen
Description
Starlings (Stumus vulagaris) flocks contain many autonomous individuals. The behavior of the flock emerges through interactions of individual agents that are following relatively simple rules in a network of local interaction. Flocks of Starlins exhibit anti-predator responses, which takes the form of "terror waves" that are propogated through the flock. Innovative data recording and 3-D modeling techniques are being deployed to study the movement of individuals and the shape of the overall flock. Flocking behavior in this study will be recorded with and without the presence of a 'predator'. The project will also use collective animal movements models to gain insight into human behavior in social sciences and economics