Towards multi-system sociotechnical transitions: why simulate

A number of research frameworks have been developed for studying sociotechnical transitions. These are complex phenomena, particularly those involving multi-system interactions. Given these characteristics, the paper discusses the challenges in studying transitions solely through inductive inference methods. It argues that transition research has reached a point where taking the next step should include modelling and simulation as part of the standard methodological exploratory toolkit for studying the intensity, nature and timing of system interaction that lead to transitions and for producing timely and robust policy recommendations.     

Establishing the validity of cycle path capacity assumptions in the Highway Capacity Manual

Cycle mode share increase is widely desired, but highway design practitioners lack the numerical tools to deliver infrastructure, instead relying on design standards and intuition, with little literature basis. As a case in point, the US Highway Capacity Manual (which is well used internationally) has developed levels of service for cycle infrastructure that are, at their core, based on an assumption of noninteraction between multiple cyclists. This paper uses a modified implementation of the Social Force Model to test the validity of this assumption. Necessary changes such as the consideration of acceleration characteristics and minimum maintainable speed are included. The resulting model produces valid outcomes in keeping with established traffic flow properties, reflecting three-phase traffic flow theory and the ability for the stochastic elements in traffic flow to cause flow breakdown. The developed simulation indicates that there is a fundamental difference in outcome if cyclists are assumed to have a fixed speed versus one they can change given their surroundings. This difference in outcomes is found to exist within the range of literature design flow capacities for bicycle infrastructure and also yields emergent outcomes that align closely with those known behaviors of highway vehicles, which intuitively transfer to cyclists. These findings reinforce the standing need for large-scale empirical studies to determine the basic numerical and behavioral parameters for cyclists, upon which all design ultimately rests.     

多层介质频率选择表面的等效电路分析方法

基于数值仿真计算和微波网络理论，提出了一种多层介质中频率选择表面（FSS）等效电路的分析方法。该方法物理过程直观，计算量小，适用于二维任意形状FSS等效电路的精确求解。以方形贴片型FSS为例验证了等效电路模型的准确性，并分析了多层介质对其等效电路参数的影响规律。最后，基于滤波器理论与FSS等效电路模型设计了双层带通型FSS，计算结果表明全波仿真结果与理论计算结果基本一致，为多层FSS的综合设计提供了一种精确设计方法。     

城市土地利用碳排放系统动力学仿真研究——以武汉市为例

研究目的:从系统角度分析土地、人口、社会、经济、能源对碳排放的影响作用,并对武汉市2017—2030年不同政策情景下的土地利用碳排放进行模拟,为其低碳发展战略和低碳土地利用规划提供决策依据。研究方法:系统动力学方法。研究结果:(1)建立的城市土地利用碳排放系统动力学模型是有效的;(2)按照目前的发展趋势,武汉市的碳排放总量将保持逐年攀升的趋势;(3)经济的快速发展对武汉市土地利用碳排放量的增加具有显著的影响作用;(4)调整土地利用结构、调整产业结构以及提高能源利用效率都能够有效的减少武汉市土地利用碳排放量,其中调整土地利用结构和调整产业结构的作用效果相对来说更加明显。研究结论:转变经济增长方式、升级产业结构、调整土地利用结构和积极研发先进的低碳科学技术是武汉市低碳发展的重要途径。     

Where to vacation? An agent-based approach to modelling tourist decision-making process

Agent-based models (ABMs) are becoming more relevant in social simulation due to the potential to model complex phenomena that emerge from individual interactions. In tourism research, complexity is a subject of growing interest and researchers start to analyse the tourism system as a complex phenomenon. However, there is little application of ABMs as a tool to explore and predict tourism patterns. The purpose of the paper is to develop an ABM that increases knowledge in tourism research by (i) considering the complexity of tourism phenomenon, (ii) providing tools to explore the complex relations between system components and (iii) giving insights on the functioning of the system and the tourist decision-making process. A theoretical ABM is developed to improve knowledge on tourist decision-making in the selection of a destination to vacation. Tourists’ behaviour, such as individual motivation, and social network influence in the vacation decision-making process are hereby discussed.     

基于福州市降水量数据研究降水期权定价

为应对干旱、洪涝等降水事件给相关经济主体带来的风险,基于1953年1月至2016年12月福州市月均累积降水量数据,运用威尔克斯法对降水量进行建模,利用蒙特卡罗模法对降水期权进行定价从而得到降水期权价值,并提出发展我国降水期权的政策建议。     

Designing futures: Inquiry in climate change communication

There are many barriers and challenges associated with climate change communication focused on promoting community-based action for sustainable futures. Of particular interest is the challenge to embed community perspectives in a communication process of climate change solutions. In this paper we argue that 3D interactive simulations using design inquiry as a development process, can be an effective way of communicating climate change solutions and multiple community responses. People are more likely to engage with the challenges associated with complexity of climate change at the local level when their perspectives are integrated into viable and multiple pathways for action. Future scenarios of change processes situated in local experiences in compelling and interactive ways can be disseminated holistically by making links between scientific, social, political, economic and cultural elements. Design inquiry, as a research approach, integrates contextual knowledge into communication processes to aid imagining, re-thinking and reembodying viable pathways that explore the kinds of futures we collectively envision. This paper examines the contributions that design inquiry makes to climate change communication using an interactive simulation environment for designing futures. We discuss these ideas using the example of the Future Delta project, a virtual 3D environment that enables the exploration and simulation of multiple community-based climate change solutions in the Corporation of Delta, British Columbia.     

Raising the Bar (3)

This editorial summarizes and comments on the papers published in issue 11(3) so as to raise the bar in applied spatial economic research and highlight new trends. The first paper proposes spatial and a-spatial indicators to describe the networks of airline companies around the world. The second paper sets forth a two-regime gravity-type model with an endogenous threshold parameter to assess the effect of labour market conditions on interregional migration flows. The third paper utilizes micro-data to explain student migration flows to higher education institutions. The fourth paper is among the first to make use of simulation-based location quotients in a multiregional input–output model. Finally, the last paper provides a purely economic–theoretical model on cooperative limit pricing in the context of spatial competition.     

基于不同Logistic模型的土地利用格局模拟对比研究——以湖北省宣恩县和咸丰县为例

模拟土地利用空间格局分布规律对合理利用土地资源、制定土地利用规划、协调土地与经济、环境的关系具有十分重要的意义。土地利用格局存在空间异质性,对比不同地区格局特征规律对加深土地利用格局的认识具有重要意义。以邻接的湖北省宣恩县和咸丰县为研究对象,通过对比基于局地因子、自相关因子和邻域因子的3种Logistic模型的模拟参数的一致性和异质性来对比研究两地的格局分布规律。实验与分析结果表明,宣恩县和咸丰县的土地利用格局特征存在共同的驱动因子和聚集效应,具有共性;不同模型的模拟结果表明驱动因子在作用方向,大小方面存在差异,邻域因子在邻域尺度上表现出不同特征。研究结果对加深理解不同地区的土地利用分布格局特征的差异性,促进区域土地利用的规划、土地资源的合理开发与可持续发展战略的顺利实施具有一定的参考价值。     

Stochastic seat allocation models for passenger rail transportation under customer choice

We study the seat allocation problem for passenger rail revenue management, in which a rail operator attempts to determine the optimal quantity of seats to be allocated to each cabin class for each train service. We formulate the problem with single-stage and multi-stage decisions as two stochastic programming models that incorporate passengers’ choice behavior. We transform the stochastic models into equivalent deterministic mathematical programs that are easy to solve. Then, we form a variety of seat allocation polices from the optimal solutions to the seat allocation models. A number of simulation tests are offered to test the policies.