Complexity, parallel computation and statistical physics

Details Complexity, parallel computation and statistical physics Complexity, parallel computation and statistical physics

2005-10-29

arxiv.org/abs/cond-mat/0510809v1

Complexity Journal, 11 (5), 46-64 (2006)

Physics

Condensed Matter

Statistical Mechanics

21 pages, 7 figures

Scientific paper

The intuition that a long history is required for the emergence of complexity in natural systems is formalized using the notion of depth. The depth of a system is defined in terms of the number of parallel computational steps needed to simulate it. Depth provides an objective, irreducible measure of history applicable to systems of the kind studied in statistical physics. It is argued that physical complexity cannot occur in the absence of substantial depth and that depth is a useful proxy for physical complexity. The ideas are illustrated for a variety of systems in statistical physics.

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