An Introduction to Complex Systems

1 Introduction.- 2 Global Warming and Climate Change.- Further Reading.- 3 Systems Theory.- 3.1 Systems & Boundaries.- 3.2 Systems & Thermodynamics.- 3.3 Systems of Systems.-  Case Study 3: Nutrient Flows, Irrigation, and Desertification.- Further Reading.- Sample Problems.- 4 Dynamic Systems.- 4.1 System State.- 4.2 Randomness .- 4.3 Analysis.- 4.3.1 Correlation.- 4.3.2 Stationarity.- 4.3.3 Transformations.- Case Study 4: Water Levels of the Oceans and Great Lakes.- Further Reading.- Sample Problems.- 5 Linear Systems.- 5.1 Linearity.- 5.2 Modes.- 5.3 System Coupling.- 5.4 Dynamics.- 5.5 Non-Normal Systems.- Case Study 5: System Decoupling.- Further Reading.- Sample Problems.- 6 Nonlinear Dynamic Systems - Uncoupled.- 6.1 Simple Dynamics.- 6.2 Bifurcations.- 6.3 Hysteresis and Catastrophes.- 6.4 System Behaviour near Folds.- 6.5 Overview.- Case Study 6: Climate and Hysteresis.- Further Reading.-  Sample Problems.- 7 Nonlinear Dynamic Systems - Coupled.-7.1 Linearization.- 7.2 2D Nonlinear Systems.- 7.3 Limit Cycles and Bifurcations.- Case Study 7: Geysers, Earthquakes, and Limit Cycles.- Further Reading.-  Sample Problems.- 8 Spatial Systems.- 8.1 PDEs.- 8.2 PDEs & Earth Systems.- 8.3 Discretization.- 8.4 Spatial Continuous-State Models.- 8.5 Spatial Discrete-State Models.- 8.6 Agent Models.- Case Study 8: Global circulation models.- Further Reading.- Sample Problems.- 9 Power Laws and Non-Gaussian Systems.- 9.1 The Gaussian Distribution  9.2 The Exponential Distribution .- 9.3 Heavy Tailed Distributions.- 9.4 Sources of Power Laws.- 9.5 Synthesis and Analysis of Power Laws.- Case Study 9: Power Laws in Social Systems.- Further Reading.- Sample Problems.- 10 Complex Systems.- 10.1 Spatial Nonlinear Models.- 10.2 Self-Organized Criticality.- 10.3 Emergence.- 10.4 Complex Systems of Systems.- Case Study 10: Complex Systems in Nature.- Further Reading.- Sample Problems.- 11 Observation & Inference.- 11.1 Forward Models.- 11.2 Remote Measurement.- 11.3 Resolution.-11.4 Inverse Problems.- Case Study 11A: Sensing- Synthetic Aperture Radar.- Case Study 11B: Inversion- Atmospheric Temperature.- Further Reading.- Sample Problems.- 12 Water.- 12.1 Ocean Acidification.- 12.2 Ocean Garbage.- 12.3 Groundwater.- Case Study 12: Satellite Remote Sensing of the Ocean.- Further Reading.- Sample Problems.- 13 Concluding Thoughts.- Further Reading.- Part I Appendices.- Index.