Year: 2011
Type: article
Abstract: Depth is a complexity measure for natural systems of the kind studied in statistical physics and is defined in terms of computational complexity. Depth quantifies the length of the shortest parallel computation required to construct a typical system state or history starting from simple initial conditions. The properties of depth are discussed and it is compared with other complexity measures. Depth can only be large for systems with embedded computation.
DOI: 10.1063/1.3634009
Author: J. Machta
Institutions: Santa Fe Institute, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Language: English
Subfield: Computational Theory and Mathematics
Field: Computer Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2026488809