The GAIA model is one of the first holistic approaches of the Earth System, seen as a cybernetic system (with feedback and feed-before specific to the conservation of a homeostasis in the Living – Dead relation) and as a real bioreactor allowing for the birth and conservation of Life.( Lovelock & Margulis , 1974 . Lovebock 1988; Lenton 1988 ) . This model holds true that : -life affects the environment: all living organisms alter the environment by extracting free energy and by excreting waste with high entropy, a metabolic process that secures the production of negenthropy (life perpetuation , Schrodinger 1944).
- the growth , reproduction included, of Life is made according to exponential laws; - the inorganic environment constraints the emergence and perpetuation of life: for each environment variable there is a value for which a specific organism is developing at a maximum rate; -once Life has emerged under several forms that multiply according to the given conditions , the development of each species in the context of a limited environment with finite resources is subject to natural selection; the outcome is that species able to best adapt to a specific context become dominant species.
This description of the Gaia system points to a hierarchical structure of systems and sub-systems , that are at different levels of organization; among them, there are exchanges of energy, matter and information (messages), with the end product of dynamic stability being achieved. (the system’s homeostasis ).
In this ecosystem, that is based on its own regulatory laws at the level of the whole, man has become a particular being, especially by its capacity to construct exomatic (artifact) extensions involving an accelerating free energy consumption and obviously, an associated entropy production. The entire ensemble of infrastructure constructions has now a global character (global transport networks of electricity, roads, railroads, cars etc ) and the life style imposes the consumption of electricity, water and food in amounts that are growing exponentially. This “diffusion” of the artificial universe all over the Earth, supported by economic globalization has created a new ensemble, defined by the subtle interwoven dichotomy : Natural – Artificial; the diffusion is likely to contribute to possible fluctuations of the whole GAIA , with unpredictable consequences for the evolution of life in general and of the human species in particular. Hence, it becomes strategically important to understand how such a complex system functions and to conceive methods to monitor and model interactions that develop at so different levels in order to give coherence to specific entities ( atom, cell, organ , organism , group, society); it becomes strategically important to find methods capable to watch “the health status of the environment“, to signal crisis situations and hereby contribute to limiting the negative effects of the anthropic develo
1. Astro-Bio-Geodynamics – a
transdisciplinary approach to
Lovelock’s Gaia Hypothesis
Dr. Florin Munteanu
Center for Complexity Studies
Romanian Academiy, Institute of Geopdynamics
“ Nuanţele raţiunii umane pot contribui la raţiunea
globală a umanităţii pentru constituirea unui model
ontologic care să explice mai corect lumea materială şi
să îndrume ştiinţa spre noi explorări şi cunoaştere
riguroasă.”
Blaga
2. In the framework of the Institute, activities
are performed by work groups directing
their efforts to:
•The study of space-time evolution of the relative displacements
between blocks which are in contact in the Vrancea
geodynamically active area, with a special concern for the
Tulnici-Gresu profile;
•The design of the methodology for an optimal emplacement of
sensors able to highlight physical parameters causally linked to
stress cumulating/ triggering in geodinamically active areas;
•The study of geomagnetic, gravity and geothermal fields space-
time evolution; implications in Geodynamics;
•The study of possibilities to use information provided by the
natural variations of the electromagnetic field, for a better
knowledge of the tectonic blocks geometry, concerning
especially certain geodynamically active areas;
•The study of the connections between volcanism and
geodynamically active processes, with a special concern for
connections with major tectonic sutures;
•Nonlinear analysis of geodynamic systems;
•Tectonic hazard studies.
3. Vreancea zone- a geophysical natural laboratory
Prediction = Position+ Intensity + Time
Short-term prediction (hours to
weeks) was successful in very few
cases where precursory phenomena
were evident
Intermediate-term prediction (one
month to 10 years) is considered fair
for well monitored regions.
Long-term prediction (10-30 years)
is considered good for high slip rate
faults but poor for very low slip rate
tectonic provinces.
4. Earthquakes are the expression of “geocomplexity”
“the existence of periodic and irregular temporal windows in a specific seismically
active region would imply that the degree of predictability itself changes with
time” (Goltz, 1997, p. 158). So earthquakes are the expression of
“geocomplexity” (Rundle et al., 2000) …..
Undecidability in earthquake faulting: a review
A. Ribeiro 1, 2; J. Cabral 1; R. Taborda 1; L. Matias3, R. Caranova 1
A new approach: Complexity science
“ Complexity is not a methodology or a set of tools (although it does provide
both). It certenly is not a “management fad”. The Science of Complexity
provides a conceptual framework, a way of thinking, a way of seeing
the World”
Eve Mitleton – Kelly,
Complexity Reasearch Programme, London school of Economics
5. Latin word complexus, which signifies
"entwined", "twisted together". This
may be interpreted in the following
way: in order to have a complex you
need two or more components,
which are joined in such a way that it
is difficult to separate them. Similarly,
the Oxford Dictionary defines
something as "complex" if it is "made
of (usually several) closely
connected parts".
7. To improve the earthquake prediction
we need more information
ASTRO-GEOPHYSICS
- Electromagnetic survey (VAN)
- Ionospheric perturbations before an earthquake
- Earthquakes triggered by earth tide
8. To improve the earthquake prediction
we need MORE information… + BIO
10. Biology bring a new insight…
form energy and matter to… information
20th century life sciences have been characterised by two major trends:
molecular and genetic reductionism.
semiotisation of nature.
semiotic processes were prevalent at the biochemical level (endosemiotics)
semiotic processes linked to communications between organisms
(exosemiotics)
( data, information, meaning, knowledge, wisdom )
Semantic processor
Infodynamics – Brooks and Wiley, 1986; Weber, et al., 1989; Weber and Depew, 1995; Goodwin, 1989;
Salthe, 1993;
- Sahleanu, 1972 (eseu de biologie informationala), Draganescu 1973 (Ortofizica)
information capacity increases spontaneously in developing systems, being produced
along with physical entropy as the system grows and differentiates (the MEST law).
H + I = ct ????
The novelty is constantly and autonomously generated by the requirements of the
second law of thermodynamics
11. The role of the observer
a science of the subjective
For several centuries, achievements in comprehending and applying the principles and
mechanics of matter and energy had proceeded under the premise that subjective
experience was at best irrelevant and frequently an obstruction to the practice of
rigorous objective quantification.
Quantum physics + Artificial Inteligence + Complexity Science +
information controls system dynamics.
Cognitive Science = a transdisciplinary approach to Nature
A question that need an answer: how to accommodate the classical approach with issues of
context and meaning, both of which are inherently subjective yet critical aspects of
pragmatic information.
the observation of consciousness-related anomalies emerging in the behavior of complex
physical or biological systems has provided evidence that the prevailing models of these
regimes are inherently incomplete, and must be expanded to accommodate a
participatory role for the observing mind.
12. Astro & Geo & Bio
a holistic view named GAIA
Global self-regulation is a natural consequence of the
interactions between the biota and the physical world;
The holistic approach of viewing Gaia as one entity and
comparing Gaia to a living organism seems to be legitimate and
it has a practical use
Lovelock, J. E. 1987. Gaia: A New Look at Life on Earth.
Remarks:
- Living organisms and especial the MAN, are crucial parts in the
behavior of GAIA (informational processors, quantum physics);
- Geodynamical events, ecological events, social and economic
behavior, are aspects of the GAIA life…
- Understanding the GAIA phenomenon is crucial for defining a
sustainable development on mankind.
13. To explore the Gaia, in a coherent info -
energo - mater frame, it is necessary:
To improve the quality of academic level by:
Promoting science of Complexity, computing techniques,
cognitive abilities ( a mind up-grade);
A special team training for scientists in order to
understand and apply in a creative way a pluri, inter
and trans-disciplinary approach (new skills)
UNESCO CHAIR in GEODYNAMICA
To develop new experimental setups, according to
this new vision.
14. The Geodynamic
Observatory -
CALDARUSANI
A laboratory for the studies of the Quality of a
Natural environment by the use of complexity
science tools
-Noise can synchronize biochemical reactions
-Synergic behavior of parts can define the quality of the
whole system
-Chaotic resonance can play an important role in the
biorhythms of living systems (an interesting coupling
between living and nonliving systems – the Gaia view)
15. Artificial Intelligence &
Seismic monitoring system
Obs:
Each seismic event modifies irreversibly the system’s
structure; a new re-assessment of the situation
and re-adaptation of the analytical model has to be
carried out permanently; MULTIMODEL
Multimodel – An assembly of models (dynamic
systems) and computational simulations employing
cellular automata (intelligent agents) capable to
discriminate/classify the data flux (streaming)
provided by the sensors from the monitored reality.
16. Artificial Intelligence &
Seismic monitoring system
Obs:
Each seismic event provides new initial conditions. The result is a
reduced predictability, yet not impossible;
ni
Log(ni)
Ni ~ miD
Per Bak statistics mi
(SOC)
Log(mi)
17. Artificial Intelligence &
Seismic monitoring system
Obs:
The energy discharged by each seismic event is radiated/transferred to
neighboring systems of equal or inferior hierarchical position.
To understand the evolution of a seismic region it is necessary a network
of complex monitoring system.
18. Artificial Intelligence &
Seismic monitoring system
Obs:
Gaia as a complex system; the nead of monitoring the energy
exchange, and other types of exchanges, between adjacent
and subordinated systems, both living or not; .
data acquisition + complex network of different types of sensors +
multimodel + processing block + neural network = an novel
type of monitoring system
(intelligent and self-adaptive, i.e. self-learning, capable to
dynamically evaluate the on-ground situation in real-time)
a system with artificial intelligence that itself behaves chaotically
will, under the influence of a specific flux of data/stimuli,
synchronize itself with the monitored Reality