CHAOS THEORY IN PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY
- 1 October 1990
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Taylor & Francis in Physical Geography
- Vol. 11 (4) , 293-304
- https://doi.org/10.1080/02723646.1990.10642408
Abstract
Throughout the natural sciences the theory of chaos is gaining prominence as a means of explaining the behavior of systems. The word chaos is used as an antilogy of itself. Non-linear deterministic systems may produce unpredictable states, but the number of states is not illimitable. The states are restricted to definable regions in a state space of calculable dimensions. This theory is already having an impact in the environmental sciences, especially in meteorology. Its potential application in physical geography is real, and geographers must address its implications. Difficulties will be encountered, however, in acquiring enough data points at the spatial and temporal scales of interest in physical geography. [Key words: attractors, chaos, physical geography, systems.]Keywords
This publication has 50 references indexed in Scilit:
- Lithologic, Structural, and Topographic Influences on Snow-Avalanche Path Location, Eastern Glacier National Park, MontanaAnnals of the American Association of Geographers, 1990
- Image enhancement of landsat thematic mapper digital data for terrain evaluation, Glacier national park, Montana, U.S.A.Geocarto International, 1989
- CHAOS AND UNPREDICTABILITY OF WEATHERWeather, 1989
- Mutual Adjustments between Process and Form in a Desert Mountain Fluvial SystemAnnals of the American Association of Geographers, 1988
- Dissipative systems: Implications for geomorphologyEarth Surface Processes and Landforms, 1988
- The Fractal Nature of Geographic PhenomenaAnnals of the American Association of Geographers, 1987
- Chaos in ecological systems: The coals that Newcastle forgotTrends in Ecology & Evolution, 1986
- El Niño: A Chaotic Dynamical System?Science, 1986
- Geometrical Aspects of Sorted Patterned Ground in Recurrently Frozen SoilScience, 1986
- Stretching and Folding in Lynx Fur Returns: Evidence for a Strange Attractor in Nature?The American Naturalist, 1984