We investigate searching for multiple mobile objects on networks and introduce the concept of mean random search time (MRST) to quantify the expected time a searcher takes to capture moving targets specified in advance. We consider this quantity averaged over all initial conditions for a searcher and multiple targets called the global MRST. We find that the growth of global MRST follows a recursive harmonic law with respect to that of stalking the individuals. In particular, when the diffusive laws of moving targets are identical, the global MRST shows a logarithmic increase with the number of moving targets. Moreover, utilizing the recursive harmonic law, we can accurately predict the expected successive time interval for capturing a new moving target. The recursive harmonic law unveils the underlying mechanism governing the search time when hunting for multiple moving targets on networks.
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August 2018
Research Article|
August 09 2018
Predicting search time when hunting for multiple moving targets: A recursive harmonic law
Tongfeng Weng;
Tongfeng Weng
a)
1
Business School, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology
, Shanghai 200093, People’s Republic of China
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Jie Zhang;
Jie Zhang
2
Centre for Computational Systems Biology, Fudan University
, Shanghai 200093, People’s Republic of China
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Michael Small
;
Michael Small
3
School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Western Australia
, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia
4
Mineral Resources, CSIRO
, Kensington, Western Australia 6151, Australia
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Huijie Yang;
Huijie Yang
1
Business School, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology
, Shanghai 200093, People’s Republic of China
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a)
Electronic mail: [email protected]
b)
Electronic mail: [email protected]
Chaos 28, 083109 (2018)
Article history
Received:
September 15 2017
Accepted:
July 05 2018
Citation
Tongfeng Weng, Jie Zhang, Michael Small, Huijie Yang, Pan Hui; Predicting search time when hunting for multiple moving targets: A recursive harmonic law. Chaos 1 August 2018; 28 (8): 083109. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5004730
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