[This is the old program from WS 2008/09. The current program and contact information can be found here.]

17 October 2008, 16:00

Sergio Alonso (Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt, Berlin)
Effective medium theory for heterogeneous reaction-diffusion systems [Abstract] 

31 October 2008, 16:00

Tetsuo Ueda (Research Institute for Electronic Science, Hokkaido University, Japan)
Nonlinear processes in Physarum: Towards an understanding of the cellular behavioral intelligence [Abstract] 

14 November 2008, 16:00

Alain Karma (Department of Physics, Northeastern University, Boston, USA)
Spatiotemporal patterns of voltage and calcium signaling in heart cells and tissue [Abstract] 

21 November 2008, 16:00

Alexander V. Panfilov (Department of Theoretical Biology, Utrecht University, The Netherlands)
Modeling mechano-electric feedback in the heart using reaction-diffusion mechanics systems [Abstract] 

28 November 2008, 16:00

Karsten Peters (Institut für Wirtschaft und Verkehr, Technische Universität Dresden)
Structural properties of functional networks in biological and technical systems  

Abstract:
Networks of infrastructures are essential to most biological and technical systems realizing material flows. Remarkably, these systems share the same notions of functional modules (or elements), like a transport infrastructure (a cytoskeleton as well as roads, railways or conveyor belts) individually mobile transport units (motor proteins, trucks or transfer cars), buffers for intermediate storage, and other modules well-known in engineering.
Looking into more detail it turns out, that these networks are subjected to several physical constraints. Neither on the macro nor on the microscale a construction of intersections connecting more than a few tracks is feasible. All transport infrastructures are challenged by the necessity of covering an area or volume while guaranteeing a certain flow and dealing with the tradeoff between keeping the construction costs low (the amount of used material) while simultaneously maximizing the reliability and robustness of the network.
We analyze structural properties of different material flow networks, among them baggage handling systems in modern airports and other technical materials handlings systems. Usually modern baggage handling systems e.g. serve 20 up to hundreds of check-in counters and 10 to 50 gates, transporting 10,000 or more bags per hour in track systems of 50 to 100 km length.
By applying network analysis methods to these large and complex material flow systems, we found that the investigated systems share common properties which may be utilized for future topology design methods. We demonstrate that the analysis provides important insights into the material flows without utilizing time consuming simulation studies. Thus the results of network analysis and optimization have an immediate impact on properties like robustness, stability or performance of technical systems. In conclusion we see a class of medium sized sparse networks (containig approximately $10^3$ nodes) with interesting properties and of great importance in practical engineering problems.

05 December 2008, 16:00 Haber-Villa

Takao Ohta (Department of Physics, Kyoto University, Japan)
External forcing and feedback control of nonlinear dissipative waves [Abstract] 

13 February 2009, 16:00

Frank Spahn (LS Nichtlineare Dynamik, Institut für Physik und Astronomie, Universität Potsdam)
What tell "propellers" in Saturns rings about planet formation? [Abstract]