Bücher von Nicola Bellomo

This contributed volume investigates several mathematical techniques for the modeling and simulation of viral pandemics, with a special focus on COVID-19.  Modeling a pandemic requires an interdisciplinary approach with other fields such as epidemiology, virology, immunology, and biology in general.  Spatial dynamics and interactions are also important features to be considered, and a multiscale framework is needed at the level of individuals and the level of virus particles and the immune system.  Chapters in this volume address these items, as well as offer perspectives for the future.

The contents of this brief Lecture Note are devoted to modeling, simulations, and applications with the aim of proposing a unified multiscale approach accounting for the physics and the psychology of people in crowds. The modeling approach is based on the mathematical theory of active particles, with the goal of contributing to safety problems of interest for the well-being of our society, for instance, by supporting crisis management in critical situations such as sudden evacuation dynamics induced through complex venues by incidents.

Thesubjectofthisbookisthemodelingofcomplex systemsinthelife sciences constituted by a large number of interacting entities called active particles. Their physical state includes, in addition to geometrical and mechanical variables, a variable called the activity, which characterizes the speci?c living system to be modeled. Interactions among particles not only modify the microscopic state, but may generate proliferative and/or destructive phenomena. The aim of the book is to develop mathematical methods and tools, even a new mathematics, for the modeling of living systems. The background idea is that the modeling of living systems requires technically complex mathematical methods, which may be s- stantially di?erent from those used to deal with inert matter. The?rstpart ofthe bookdiscussesmethodological issues, namely the derivation of various general mathematical frameworks suitable to model particular systems of interest in the applied sciences. The second part presents the various models and applications. The mathematical approach used in the book is based on mathema- cal kinetic theoryfor active particles, whichleads tothederivation of evo- tion equations for a one-particle distribution function over the microscopic state. Two types of equations, to be regarded as a general mathematical framework for deriving the models, are derived corresponding to short and long range interactions.

Modeling and Applied Mathematics Modeling the behavior of real physical systems by suitable evolution equa­ tions is a relevant, maybe the fundamental, aspect of the interactions be­ tween mathematics and applied sciences. Modeling is, however, only the first step toward the mathematical description and simulation of systems belonging to real world. Indeed, once the evolution equation is proposed, one has to deal with mathematical problems and develop suitable simula­ tions to provide the description of the real system according to the model. Within this framework, one has an evolution equation and the re­ lated mathematical problems obtained by adding all necessary conditions for their solution. Then, a qualitative analysis should be developed: this means proof of existence of solutions and analysis of their qualitative be­ havior. Asymptotic analysis may include a detailed description of stability properties. Quantitative analysis, based upon the application ofsuitable methods and algorithms for the solution of problems, ends up with the simulation that is the representation of the dependent variable versus the independent one. The information obtained by the model has to be compared with those deriving from the experimental observation of the real system. This comparison may finally lead to the validation of the model followed by its application and, maybe, further generalization.

This monograph aims to lay the groundwork for the design of a unified mathematical approach to the modeling and analysis of large, complex systems composed of interacting living things.