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No Noise is Bad Noise:
The Constructive Role of Noise in Non-linear Dynamics |
R. Hillborn
Amherst College
Most scientists view “noise” (uncontrollable random fluctuations) to be a nuisance--something to be minimized whenever and wherever possible. For nonlinear systems, however, noise can often lead to enhancement of the detection of weak signals (an effect called stochastic resonance) and can, for some systems, lead to highly periodic behavior driven solely by noise (an effect called stochastic coherence). In this talk, I will give examples (and explanations) of noise-enhanced behavior in several systems including nerve cells, gene networks, and lasers. I will also talk about how the theory of stochastic processes allows us to make quantitative predictions of these enhancements.
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Friday, September 17th 2004, McCook 102, 3:00 pm, Refreshments 2:45 pm |