Lévy flights in random searches

Viswanathan, G.M; Afanasyev, V.; Buldyrev, Sergey V; Havlin, Shlomo; da Luz, M.G.E; Raposo, E.P; Stanley, H.Eugene. 2000 Lévy flights in random searches. Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, 282 (1-2). 1-12. 10.1016/S0378-4371(00)00071-6

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0378-4371(00)00071-6

Abstract/Summary

We review the general search problem of how to find randomly located objects that can only be detected in the limited vicinity of a forager, and discuss its quantitative description using the theory of random walks. We illustrate Lévy flight foraging by comparison to Brownian random walks and discuss experimental observations of Lévy flights in biological foraging. We review recent findings suggesting that an inverse square probability density distribution P(ℓ)∼ℓ−2 of step lengths ℓ can lead to optimal searches. Finally, we survey the explanations put forth to account for these unexpected findings.

Item Type:	Publication - Article
Digital Object Identifier (DOI):	10.1016/S0378-4371(00)00071-6
Programmes:	BAS Programmes > Pre 2000 programme
ISSN:	03784371
Additional Keywords:	Levy flights, foraging, Brownian random walks, search processes
Date made live:	17 Jul 2013 14:38 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/502587

Item Type:

Publication - Article

Digital Object Identifier (DOI):

10.1016/S0378-4371(00)00071-6

Programmes:

BAS Programmes > Pre 2000 programme

ISSN:

03784371

Additional Keywords:

Levy flights, foraging, Brownian random walks, search processes

Date made live:

17 Jul 2013 14:38 +0 (UTC)