Physics of Complexity

@ ISC - Sapienza
Rome, 2014-2015
 Physics of Complexity @ ISC - Sapienza

The Institute of Complex System (ISC) of the National Research Council

(CNR) was created on February 2010.

The Unit Sapienza of ISC has been built upon researchers previously
involved with the National Institute of Material Physics (INFM) within the
Department of Physics. For this reason, since the very beginning, their
research has been deeply interconnected with the activities of the Department
of Physics.

Since 2010 the Unit has grown and its interests expanded in several
directions, while the basic mission remained unchanged: the understanding of
all those systems where the mutual interactions between a large number of
components cannot be reduced to an effective single-element scheme. The
resulting complexity manifests itself in a wide variety of emerging phenomena
occurring in different contexts, ranging from social networks to granular
materials, from (soft) colloids to (hard) electronic systems, from collective
motions of animal groups to non-linear systems.

In this booklet each staff member of the Unit presents some of his/her
activities, with the aim to give an overview of the research carried out
presently at ISC-Sapienza.

Rome, November 2014

For further information please visit our web sites:

www.isc.cnr.it

www.sapienza.isc.cnr.it
 Andrea Baldassarri
contacts

Andrea.Baldassarri@roma1.infn.it
Office: Fermi Building, 510
https://aquilante.phys.uniroma1.it/~andreab

keywords
● Percolation
● Granular materials
● Stochastic processes

Rocky coast erosion and percolation theory

As shown by a minimal numerical model,
percolation theory can be used as a guide to
decipher the physics of rocky coast erosion
and could provide precise predictions to the
statistics of cliff collapses. I'm interested in
possible applications of percolation theory in
geomorphology, as revealed by irregular
geometries or anomalous statistics.
Friction in granular materials
Friction is a very old, but still open field of
research, relevant from the physics at nano-scale
to earthquakes. The friction response of a
granular material could be very fluctuating, due to
the anomalous stress propagation in the material.
This systems represent an interesting laboratory,
both experimentally and theoretically, for the
introduction of new models and concepts.
Avalanche dynamics and crackling noise
Irregular, bursty dynamics can be modeled
via simple stochastic processes, revealing
unexpected connections between different
physical systems (crackling noise).
 Lara Benfatto
contacts

Lara.Benfatto@roma1.infn.it
Office: Marconi Building, room 110
https://www.roma1.infn.it:~lbenfat

keywords
● Theory of Many-Body Systems
● Superconductivity in low dimensions
● Materials with Novel Electronic Properties

The understanding of the electronic properties of complex solid-state systems,

where one observes the competition between different phenomena, requires to
develop and implement a modern quantum-field theory approach. This includes
several analytical techniques, ranging from a conventional perturbative expansion to
the derivation of the quantum functionals for the collective degrees of freedom

NbN disordered films The competition and interplay between

two different phenomena, i.e.
magnetism and superconductivity, is
also the key issue for the understanding
of the new generation of iron-based
high-temperature superconductors. In
these materials the multiband structure
The inhomogeneous local DOS measured by STM and the interband nature of the pairing
shows an universal probability distribution of the lead to a plethora of new phenomena,
local SC order parameter when properly rescaled
unexpected in other multiband
A typical example of competing states is superconductors. In addition the
provided by strongly disordered electron pairing in these materials turns
superconductors: here disorder tends out to be very robust against disorder, a
to order the charge, by localizing the still unexplained phenomenon that
electrons, and pairing tends to order the represent nowadays a promising root
global electronic phase, i.e. to form the for future applications.
superconducting state. As a
Unconventional
compromise, the system develops an Hall effect in
intrinsic inhomogeneous phase with pnictides
unusual glassy properties.
L. Fanfarillo et al.
PRL 109,096402
G.Seibold et al. Phys.Rev.Lett.108, 207004 (2012). (2012).
G. Lemarie et al. Phys. Rev. B 87, 184509 (2013).
 Emmanuele Cappelluti
contacts
emmanuele.cappelluti@roma1.infn.it
Office: Fermi Building, room 109, Ph.: 06-4991-3488
Office: ISC, CNR, v. dei Taurini 19, Ph.: 06-4993-7453
http://pil.phys.uniroma1.it/~emmcapp

keywords
● Many-Body Interactions and Theoretical Physics in Condensed Matter
● Superconductivity and collective phenomena
● Graphene and low-dimensional systems

My research activity investigates

the appearance of many-body
phenomena of fundamental
physics in a variety of specific
condensed matter systems.
Examples of open research lines
where Master theses are available:

Graphene and post-graphene

compounds
Theoretical modelling of electronic, Lattice/spin polarons and
lattice, thermodynamical, optical, Interplay between electron-
and magnetic properties of two- lattice and magnetic interactions
dimensional materials (graphene, Mechanisms and properties of
dichalcogenides,...). complex objects (polarons) where
different degrees of freedom
Interactions and Pairing in Iron- (electron, lattice deformation, spin)
based Superconductors are entangled at a local scale.
Microscopical description of the Itinerant vs. trapped states.
scattering and pairing mechanisms
in the normal state (transport, Spontaneous broken-symmetry
optical properties) and in the phases in layered compounds
superconducting state (gap Nematic, charge and bond-density-
symmetry). waves driven by Hubbard-Hund
interactions i n layered two-
dimensional materials.
 Claudio Castellano
contacts

claudio.castellano@roma1.infn.it
Office: Via dei Taurini 19, 4th floor, room 409
http://sites.google.com/site/claudiocastellanohome/home

keywords
● Interdisciplinary applications of statistical physics
● Complex networks
● Dynamics of social systems

Statistical physics approach to information diffusion or meme propagation.

Complex networks topology has a very strong
social dynamics impact on epidemic processes, facilitating
In recent years it has become widely spreading and increasing the risk of
recognized that many large-scale phenomena pandemics. Nontrivial effects are responsible
observed in social systems are the for this vulnerability and their understanding
"macroscopic" emergent effect of the challenges established theoretical approaches.
"microscopic" behavior of a large number of
interacting agents. This has led to the
introduction of elementary models of social
behavior (opinion dynamics, cultural and
scientific evolution, language change). Many of
these models are relatives of models that are
studied in modern statistical physics, and it is
natural to approach them using the same
concepts and tools successfully applied in
physics.

C. Castellano et al., “Statistical physics of social dynamics”,

Rev. Mod. Phys. 81, 591 (2009)

F. Colaiori et al., “A general three-state model with biased

population replacement: analytical solution and application to
language dynamics”, Phys. Rev. E (to appear). The study of epidemic-like spreading
processes in the social domain, spurred by
that the “big data” revolution is a very active
Spreading processes on and promising field for future research.
complex networks C. Castellano and R. Pastor-Satorras, “Threshold for epidemic
Dynamical processes have been studied for spreading in networks”, Phys. Rev. Lett. 105, 218701 (2010).
decades on regular lattices and their behavior
M. Boguna' et al., “Nature of the Epidemic Threshold for the
is generally well understood. When such Susceptible-Infected-Susceptible Dynamics in Networks”,
processes take place on a complex topology, Phys. Rev. Lett. 111, 068701 (2013).
what is the effect of the disordered interaction
pattern on their phenomenology? In recent R. Pastor-Satorras et al., “Epidemic spreading in networks”,
years I have been in particular involved in the arXiv: 1408.2701 (2014).
investigation of the behavior of spreading
processes, which range from infectious
disease epidemics to “social contagion”, i.e.,
 Andrea Cavagna
contacts
andrea.cavagna@roma1.infn.it,
Office: ISC/CNR - Via dei Taurini 19 – Floor 4th
http://www.sapienza.isc.cnr.it/component/content/article/
68.html

keywords
● Collective Behavior in Biological Systems
● (Non-Equilibrium) Statistical Mechanics
● Inference, Modeling & Simulations

figure

Collective Behavior in Biological Supercooled liquids and the

Systems glass transition
The basis of our overall methodology is I am working on devising new methods to
linking the experimental data (observed detect a growing static correlation length in
behaviour) with the theories explaining the deeply supercooled liquids. By using
interactions rules governing large animal amorphous boundary conditions we
groups. This broad mandate requires an measured for the first time a
interdisciplinary approach ranging from thermodynamic correlation length. In so
field experiments, to computer vision, to doing we test the validity of different
statistical physics. In general, we have theoretical frameworks of the glass
split our focus in two areas: i) transition, namely the Adam-Gibbs theory
experimental data gathering and and the Mosaic (aka Random First Order)
processing; ii) data analysis and theory. theory. We are also trying to measure the
Our experimental work is carried out in the surface tension between different
natural habitat of the animal we are amorphous phases in deeply supercooled
studying. We use multiple synchronized liquids and to establish a link between
high speed cameras to capture image static relaxation and dynamic
sequences of the aggregation. By using heterogeneities through the concept of
novel computer vision algorithm, we are surface tension. Check my pedagogical
then able to reconstruct the 3D trajectories reviews on spin-glasses and supercooled
of each individual in the group. Our data liquids, Spin-Glass Theory for Pedestrians
analysis follows a theoretical approach [J. Stat. Mech. (2005) P05012] and
inspired by the principles of statistical Supercooled Liquids for Pedestrians,
physics. Physics Reports 476, (2009), P51
 Fabio Cecconi
contacts

Fabio.Cecconi@roma1.infn.it
Office: Via dei Taurini, 19 tel:06-4993.7452
http://denali.phys.uniroma1.it/~cecconif/

keywords
● Transport of biopolymers in nanopores
● Statistical mechanics of complex systems
● Nonlinear Physics and Chaos

Transport of proteins
Nanopore technology is the “art” of retrieving
chemical and physical information about
biomolecules through their transport behavior
across nanopores (nanoscale “holes”) FigB.
This field is considered the new frontier of
single-molecule manipulation and sequencing
with relevant applications to biology and
medicine. Experiments are becoming very
accurate and produce a countless number of
facts and data which the theory is called to
explain. Fig. Transport of a protein by a pulling force
Main theoretical tools: Stochastic Processes,
Modelling and Simulations, Statistical Nonlinear Physics and Chaos
Mechanics. Nonlinearity is a general element of natural
phenomena and Chaos theory is the
systematic study of the “unexpected” effects
Statistical mechanics of complex produced by nonlinearities. In particular, two
systems initial conditions differing for an infinitesimal
Understanding complex phenomena like the error, which according to Newton's physics
emergence of collective or auto-organized would yield similar results, can led to vastly
dynamics in many-body systems requires to different outcomes (Butterfly effect). The
master advanced concepts and methods of discovery that unpredictable behaviors are
statistical mechanics and stochastic process consistent with deterministic laws changed the
theory. Particular important is the modeling of way we perceive the world around us. Non-
complex systems which finds several linear physics is the interdisciplinary field that
applications e.g. to biology, material science, develops mathematical tools and concepts to
economic or social phenomena. We are classify and characterize: chaotic behaviors,
interested to study complex behaviors in strange attractors and the
granular materials and transport processes. related fractal structures.

Fig. Chain of nonlinear

oscillators considered a Fig. A strange attractor
paradigm of a complex showing a fractal
system. structure.
 Massimo Cencini
contacts

Massimo.Cencini@cnr.it
Office: CNR, Via dei Taurini 19, IV floor room 412
http://denali.phys.uniroma1.it/~cencini

keywords
● Turbulence and transport of fields and particles in turbulent flows
● Chaos and dynamical systems
● Population dynamics

Transport of swimming
microorganisms in turbulence
Typically turbulence is very effective in mixing
transported substances so that quickly they
distribute uniformly in the container (imagine figure
stirring milk into coffee). What does happen to
microorganisms transported by a turbulent
flow? Microorganisms are typically very small
and have the same density of the fluid so that
are expected to follow the fluid elements and
thus to mix very efficiently. However, if they
can swim, as bacteria or some species of
algae, something counterintuitive can Neutral biodiversity models
happen, namely they can unmix forming
fractal aggregates. T h i s i s b e c a u s e
Species abundance distributions and how the
swimming allows cell to escape from fluid
number of species changes with the area
trajectories, inducing a sort of effective
(Species Area Relationships) can be
compressibility. This phenomenon has been
captured by simple neutral models, with a flat
studied experimentally, in a vortical flow, and
“fitness” landscape. Efficient algorithms have
numerically, in a turbulent flow, for gyrotactic
been developed to study nontrivial regimes of
microalgae (such as, e.g., Chlamydomonas).
small speciation rate and large local population
sizes, relevant to microorganisms ecology. We
found
that large local
populations give
rise to shallower
SAR, in accord
with field
observations.
W. M. Durham, E. Climent, M. Barry, F. De Lillo, G. Boffetta,
M. Cencini, R. Stocker Nature Comm. 4, 2148 (2013)

F. De Lillo, M. Cencini, W. M. Durham, M. Barry, R. Stocker,

E. Climent, G. Boffetta, Phys. Rev. Lett. 112, 044502 (2014)
 Francesca Colaiori
contacts

francesca.colaiori@roma1.infn.it
Office: Fermi Building, 510
it.linkedin.com/in/FrancescaColaiori

keywords
● Network Science Interdisciplinary research
● Quantitative Linguistics Physics as a tool
● Biophysics

typical problems
Structure of Social Networks
Social networks have empirically been found to be assortative (i.e.,
the degrees of neighboring nodes are positively correlated), while
other networks (e.g., technological, biological) show the opposite
pattern (disassortative). Why is that so?
How do these patterns change in signed networks, where relations
indicate trust/distrust, friendship/enmity? Do individuals who dislike
many others tend to dislike each other, or do they dislike those who
dislike only very few others?
Rules and Exceptions in Language Dynamics
Credit: Illustration / Jonathan Saragosti

In all languages, rules have exceptions in the form of irregularities.

Since rules make a language efficient, the persistence of
irregularity is an anomaly. How do language systems become rule
governed? How and why do they sustain exceptions to rules?
Frequent words are unlikely to change over time (e.g., frequent
verbs tend to maintain an irregular past tense form). What is the
role of frequency in maintaining exceptions to rules?

Dynamics of Virus-Host interaction

In the case of fast mutating viruses (e.g., Influenza virus), the virus-
host interaction is driven by cross-immunity: after being infected by
a strain, the host acquires immunity to a set of other strains
antigenically similar to the infecting one (i.e., triggering the same
host immune response). The evolutionary dynamics of viruses is
then ruled by their relative antigenic distance. Can we understand
the nontrivial relation between antigenic and genetic distance?

methods
Tools from statistical physics, modeling, analytical approach (whenever possible),
simulations, data analysis, web-based experiments.
 Claudio Conti
contacts

claudio.conti@cnr.it
Office: Fermi Building, 108
http://www.complexlight.org

keywords
● Photonics and nonlinear optics, experiments and theory
● High performance computing
● Theoretical physics

The enlightened game of life

Is complexity linked with light? We decide if
something is complex or not by observing its
structure and hence interacting with
electromagnetic waves. Is this fact more
fundamental than that? We want to develop
theoretical models for assessing the link
between light and complexity, starting from the
simplest one: the Conway's Game of Life
Random lasers, experimental activity
Complexity arises when there is disorder and
nonlinearity. Photonics is full of examples in which
highly nonlinear regimes occur in the presence of
disorder. The case of light-matter interaction in
random systems is specifically important for a
novel class of devices named random lasers. In
our laboratory we study random lasers in bio-
templated materials and other complex systems.

Quantum gravity simulation

Highly nonlinear regimes in optics are formally
identically to quantum gravity enhanced
quantum mechanics, including a generalized
uncertainty principle. Can we simulate quantum
gravity in the lab?
 Andrea Gabrielli
contacts
Andrea.Gabrielli@roma1.infn.it
Office: Fermi Building, office 111
http://pil.phys.uniroma1.infn.it/~andrea

keywords

● Stochastic processes and networks for interdisciplinary applications

● Networks and complex structures in brain science
● Long range interacting systems

Economic complexity: If we study how different

countries produce different products, we find data
which look in contrast with standard economic theories:
differentiation of production appears much more
important than specialization for advanced economies.
Studying the network structure of world production
through a non-linear pagerank-like approach permits
to uncover the hidden potential of growth of countries
and to classify the technological complexity of products.

Complex structures in brain and NMR

Human brain is one of the most complex object of study
in science and it is characterized by a spatio-temporal
multiscale and multilevel structures. Nuclear Magnetic
Resonance is the best in vivo tool to study both its
3-d disordered structure and its complex behavior.
With this experimental technique, supported by the
generalized diffusion theory, we can study the
diffusion of water molecules in each cell (i.e. voxel)
of a 3-d grid to get 3-d brain mages (DNMR). The same
technique is used to analyze the temporal coordination between different regions of the
brain during its functioning (fMRI). Network theory then permits to determine the
topological properties of this functional network and characterize in the best way the
functional connectivity and coordinated behavior of different brain regions.

Quasi-stationary states in long range interacting systems

Particle systems with long range interactions (e.g. self-gravitating gas) present a peculiar
behavior which differs strongly from standard short range interacting systems both at
equilibrium (e.g. ensemble inequivalence, negative specific heat) and far from it. In
particular their out of equilibrium dynamics is characterized by the presence of quasi-
stationary states in which the system gets trapped. They are due to the prevalence of
collective motion on the two-body collision dynamics which in general drives the system at
equilibrium. Its study is still an open issue.
 Andrea Gnoli
contacts
Andrea.gnoli@isc.cnr.it
Office: Fermi Building, 012
http://www.sapienza.isc.cnr.it/your-
details/userprofile/andrea_gnoli.html

keywords

● Granular Materials
● Brownian Motors

Granular Materials

Granular materials are studied and

used to test various fascinating
theories in the field of non
equilibrium statistical physics.

Many different experiments have

been realized in the Granular
Dynamics Laboratory in the Fermi Brownian Motors
Building, ground floor, Room 012.
In our experiments grains are Brownian motors are a class of
made of steel or plastic beads of devices that extract useful work
various size, in the 1 – 4 mm from noise. Such an extraction,
range. The beads are kept in which is impossible in the classical
movement by a shaker and various equilibrium thermodynamic
different regimes are realized framework, is made possible
(granular gas and liquid) in various through the use of granulars that
different setups (3d, 2d and also are, by definition, in non
1d). The dynamic of the grains is equilibrium conditions. The
studied by high speed cameras rectification of fluctuations is
and/or probed by intruders. challenging from the experimental
point of view and the final direction
of motion is not easily predicted
without a suitable theoretical
model.
 José Lorenzana
contacts
jose.lorenzana@roma1.infn.it
Office: Marconi Building, 112
http://www.sapienza.isc.cnr.it/component/content/article/
112.html

keywords
● Theory of Many-Body Systems
● Superconductivity
● Emerging materials

Complex Solids
My main interest are complex solids
intended as materials in which different
phases compete producing interesting
collective behavior. Competition arise
because interactions and the kinetic figure
energy contribute similarly to the energy,
therefore complex solids are nor in the
weak nor in the strong coupling regime
which makes them difficult to treat with
conventional perturbative approaches.
Competition between phases often leads to
gigantic responses to external Many-body physics in real time
perturbations which makes complex solids In the last years dramatic technical
interesting for applications. I use many- progress have enable experiments where
body numerical and analytical techniques quantum matter is perturbed and its
to model the behavior of system with evolution is monitored in the femtosecond
fascinating properties as high temperature time scale. The figure shows experiments
superconductors and multiferroics by our partners at Laussane [Mansart et al.
(materials which have ferroelectric and PNAS, 110, 4539 (2013)] where the
magnetic order coupled). My work is often reflectivity as a function of energy is
close to concrete experiments performed monitored as a function of time delay after
by partner groups and in the last years an impulsive perturbation. Ultrafast time
have been focused on time-dependent resolution allows to see lattice vibrations
phenomena as collective modes of (A and D) and also electronic oscillations
superconductors (including the possibility (B and E). The material is a high
to observe the analogous of the Higgs temperature superconductor and the
boson in condensed matter), generation of electronic oscillations are attributed to the
magnetic responses with an electric pulse superconducting condensate. Modeling
or vice versa and understand the physics these and related experiments can help to
of many-body quantum systems out of understand the mechanism of
equilibrium. superconductivity in these materials, one of
the main open problems in physics.
 Marco Montuori
contacts
marco.montuori@roma1.infn.it
Office: Fermi Building, 510
http://www.sapienza.isc.cnr.it/statistical-
dynamics/statistical-cosmology.html

keywords

● Globular Clusters dynamics

● Galaxy interactions

Globular Cluster dynamics

Globular Clusters (GCs) are old star
clusters in the galaxy and cornerstone
for our understanding of the formation,
structure and dynamics of Milky Way.
Last decade has seen the discovery of
tidal tails emanating of GC.Tails are a
new probe of the potential of the galaxy
and its time evolution. Through
numerical simulation and observational
comparison we can explore the
features of dark halo and its dynamics

Galaxy interactions
Galaxies are recognized as the product of
evolution lasting nearly 14 billion years. It
is clear that many galaxies interact with
neighboring ones and galaxy interactions
are believed to be the key evolutionary
mechanism, in particular for the early-type.
We are studying models and numerical
simulations to understand which are the
dominant physical processes which drives
their evolution and produce the richness
we observe in the universe
 Oriele Palumbo
contacts
Oriele.Palumbo@roma1.infn.it
Office:Physics Dpt, Marconi Building, room 360
http://www.sapienza.isc.cnr.it/your-
details/userprofile/oriel.html

keywords
● Spectroscopies
● Innovative materials for energy storage
● Phase transitions

Materials for hydrogen storage

The most promising way to store hydrogen is
the solid state storage, but at present a lot of
fundamental research is still needed to make
such solid state tanks satisfactorily compatible
with the targets of current applications.
Best candidates are metal hydrides and
complex hydrides. A big role in increasing
their capacity and enhancing the hydriding and
dehydriding kinetics is played by the artificial
manipulation, like nanostructuring of the
powders, their mechanical alloying and
catalysing. We study the hydrogenation and Hydrides as new anodes for
dehydrogenation fundamental mechanisms of
such novel materials by means of mechanical lithium batteries
and infrared spectroscopies, thermal analysis
and ab initio simulation. The incorporation of lithium by hydrides
through an electrochemical conversion
reaction is a promising alternative to Li
intercalation into graphite for next-generation
Li-ion cells.
This reaction has been proved only for a
couple of metal hydrides. We are currently
studying the applicability of complex hydrides
and possible improvements of the hydrides
performances in the cells by means of artificial
nanostructuring.
A. Paolone, F. Teocoli, S. Sanna. O. Palumbo and T. Autrey,
J. Phys. Chem. C 117 129-134 (2013).

A. Paolone, F. Vico, F. Teocoli, S. Sanna. O. Palumbo, R.

Cantelli, D.A. Knight, J. Trepovich and R. Zidan,
J. Phys. Chem. C 116 16365-16370 (2012).

A. Paolone, O. Palumbo, P. Rispoli, R. Cantelli, T. Autrey, A.

Karkamkar, J. Phys. Chem. C Lett. 113 10319-10321 (2009). D. Meggiolaro, G. Gigli, A. Paolone, F. Vitucci, S. Brutti,
J. Phys. Chem. C 117 22467-22477 (2013).
 Annalisa Paolone
contacts
Annalisa.Paolone@roma1.infn.it
Office:Physics Dpt, Marconi Building, room 360
http://www.sapienza.isc.cnr.it/your-
details/userprofile/paolone.html

keywords
● Spectroscopies
● Innovative materials for energy storage
● Phase transitions

Ionic liquids and their

interactions with membranes

Ionic liquids (ILs), which are inorganic salts

with melting point below 100°C are
environmentally friendly solvents with useful
figure
properties. Moreover their attractive properties
can be tuned by variation of the cation and
anion. Our research is focused to achieve a
better physical understanding of the ions
interactions and dynamics within the liquids by
means of infrared and mechanical
spectroscopies, thermal analysis and ab initio
simulation. New materials for lithium
The occurrence of phase transitions and their batteries
kinetics is studied too.
In particular, it is showed that in the composite
We investigate the fundamental properties of
systems usually used for applications, the
new materials considered as promising as high
interaction with the swelling membrane
energy density electrodes for lithium batteries,
modifies the physical properties of ILs.
such as LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 (LNMO) or LiCoPO4
(LCPO). We studied the disorder of LNMO by
means of EXAFS, the vacancy dynamics in
LNMO by anelastic spectroscopy and the
infrared phonon spectrum of LCPO.

G. Greco, S. Brutti, F. M. Vitucci, L. Lombardo, M. Koentje, A.

Savoini, A. Paolone, S. Panero, J. Phys. Chem. C
doi:10.1021./jp5063622.
F. M. Vitucci, D. Manzo, M. A. Navarra, O. Palumbo, F.
Trequattrini, S. Panero, P.Bruni, F. Croce, A. Paolone, F. M. Vitucci, O. Palumbo, A. Paolone, R. Cantelli, S. Brutti,
J. Phys. Chem. C 118 5749-5755 (2014). S. Panero, J. Alloys Compds. 604 83-86 (2014).

F. M. Vitucci, F. Trequattrini,O. Palumbo, J.-B. Brubach, S. Brutti, J. Manzi, D. Di Lecce, F. Vitucci, A. Paolone, F.
P.Roy, A. Paolone, J. Phys. Chem. A 118 8758-8764 (20014). Trequattrini, S. Panero, Mat. Lett. under review.

F. M. Vitucci, O. Palumbo, F. Trequattrini,J.-B. Brubach, P.

Roy, F. Croce, A. Paolone, J. Phys. Chem. C under review.
 Alberto Petri
contacts

Alberto.petri@isc.cnr.it
Office: Fermi Building, 109
http://old.isc.cnr.it/ita/staff/petri/

keywords
● Dynamics of granular matter
● Disordered materials
● Complexity in society, biology and economics

Topic 1 the features of criticality, i.e.

In our world, granular matter is more long range correlations and self
ubiquitous than crystals, however its similar patterns, like for
dynamics is much less understood. example in the pattern of a
Grains also provide a laboratory propagating crack. Despite their
model for earthquakes and dissipative complexity, it is often possible
processes. We try to improve our to understand and describe
understanding of the collective these phenomena by means of
dynamics of grains performing simple models like cellular
laboratory experiments and numerical automata and lattice gas.
simulations, and try to describe it by
means of stochastic processes.

Topic 3
Understanding the dynamics
underlying human and
biological activities is difficult.
However the now available
large amount of data provides
lot of information. We are
presently investigating the
mutual import-export relations of
Topic 2 world-wide countries, pointing
Structural phenomena occurring in out analogies with some
disordered materials often bring ecological systems.
 Andrea Puglisi
contacts

Andrea.puglisi@roma1.infn.it
Office: Fermi Building, 406
http://denali.phys.uniroma1.it/~puglisi/welcome.html

keywords
● Granular materials
● Out-of-equilibrium statistical physics
● Brownian motors

Granular materials
Granular media are systems made
of many “grains” (particles from
0.1mm or larger) which lose
energy when interacting. They are
a fascinating testground for many
recent theories in out-of-
equilibrium statistical physics (see
below). Here we study those
systems by numerical simulations,
kinetic theories and experiments. Sometimes these systems are also
You can have a look to our lab at “small” and for this reason
the ground floor of Fermi Building, fluctuations can be very large: the
Room 012. theories of probability, stochastic
processes, and large deviations,
become – therefore - essential
Out-of-equilibrium statistical tools.
physics
Equilibrium statistical physics fails
in many systems where currents Brownian motors
and dissipation appear (turbulence, They are small objects that
forced fluidodynamics, aggregate “rectifies” fluctuations, obtaining
of self-propelled particles, open work from heat. We study models
systems, etc.). Many alternative and experimental examples,
approaches exist, such as showing in which (non-equilibrium)
hydrodynamics and kinetic theory, conditions such a rectification may
e.g. the Boltzmann equation. be optimized.
 Antonio Scala
contacts

Antonio.Scala@roma1.infn.it
Office: Fermi Building, 104
https://sites.google.com/site/antonioscalaphys/

keywords
● Complex Networks: Critical Infrastructures, Social Networks
● Statistical Mechanics: Energy Landscapes, Soft Matter
● Computational Physics: Hard body simulations, Monte Carlo

Complex Networks and Social Networks

Power Grids

We focus on data-driven
computational models of complex
socio-cognitive systems: spread of
information and opinions, social
Electric power-systems are one of human behavior, evolution of
the most important critical social networks. We aim to
infrastructures. We apply statistical develop innovative mathematical
mechanics to understand emerging models and computational tools to
phenomena in power grids better understand, anticipate and
control massive social phenomena
Self Healing Networks with a complex systems approach.

publications
● Abruptness of Cascade Failures in Power Grids
We study self-healing models of Scientific Reports 4, 3694

complex networks modelling. ● Self-Healing Networks: Redundancy and

Obvious applications are to Structure
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0087986
infrastructural networks like gas,
Opinion dynamics on interacting networks:
power, water, oil distribution.
●

media competition and social influence

Scientific Reports 4, 4938
 Vito D.P. Servedio
contacts

Vito.Servedio@roma1.infn.it
Office: Fermi Building, 505
http://pil.phys.uniroma1.it/~servedio

keywords
● Opinion Dynamics, Quantitative Linguistics
● Citizen Science and Human Computation
● Learning Dynamics

The dynamics of correlated novelties

Novelties are commonplace in daily life. They are
also fundamental to the evolution of biological
systems, human society, and technology. By
opening new possibilities, one novelty can pave the
way for others in a process that Kauffman has
called “expanding the adjacent possible”.
F. Tria et al., Sci.Rep. 4, 5890 (2014)

Web-based social computation

The Web has progressively acquired the status of an
infrastructure for social computation allowing researchers to
coordinate the cognitive abilities of human agents by
steering the collective user activity towards predefined
goals. This general trend is triggering the adoption of web-
games as a very interesting laboratory to run experiments
whenever the contribution of human beings is crucially
required for research purposes.
http://www.xtribe.eu

Statistical modeling of learning paths

Each sphere of knowledge could be depicted as a network
of correlated items. By properly exploiting these
connections, innovative and more efficient learning
strategies could be defined, possibly leading to a faster
learning process and an enduring retention of information.
 Massimiliano Viale
contacts

massimiliano.viale@cnr.it
Office: Fermi Building, Room 414, Floor4th
http://www.sapienza.isc.cnr.it/your-details/userprofile/126.html

keywords
● Collective Behavior in Biological Systems
● (Non-Equilibrium) Statistical Mechanics
● Inference, Modeling & Simulations

From bird flocks to fish schools, from insect swarms to

cell colonies, collective behaviour is a very widespread
phenomenon in many biological systems.
It is hard to define, but easy to recognize.
What are the mechanisms regulating collective behaviour
in biological systems?

The aim of my work is to understand the collective behaviour

exhibited by flocks of starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) and swarms
of non-biting midges (Chironomidae) through the analysis of
synchronized high speed image sequences from three
cameras.
Using stereo matching and other computer vision techniques,
we are able to reconstruct, in three dimensions, the
trajectories of individual animals within the aggregation.
Further analysis of the trajectories should lead to a better
understanding of the fundamental interaction rules between
individuals. Which is the "recipe" that exactly reproduces
the real biological systems? Which are the hypotheses
- Information transfer and behavioural inertia in starling flocks cut by the "Occam's Razor" for which
Nature Physics 10 (9), 691-696 "entities must not be multiplied beyond necessity"?

- Interaction ruling animal collective behavior Biological data have hidden information to be gathered: we
depends on topological rather than metric distance: have to solve the "Inverse Problem".
Evidence from a field study We can try to take advantage of the critical aspects of
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences biological systems because in physics this is synonymous of
105 (4), 1232-1237 phase transition and scale invariance.
A deeper statistical mechanics insight allows us to "rescale"
- Collective Behaviour without Collective Order biological data from different events
in Wild Swarms of Midges and obtain more robust and meaningful answers.
PloS Computational Biology 10 (7), e1003697 It is required a complex and interdisciplinary line of research
that includes:

Experiments find coherent information transfer through - Deep theoretical expertise on statistical physics of complex
biological groups on length and time scales distinctly systems ;
below those on which asymptotically correct - Bayesian inference on biological data;
hydrodynamic theories apply. - Optimization – Simulations - Modeling ;

We need a new continuum theory of collective motion coupling - Scale-free correlations in starling flocks
the velocity and density fields to the inertial spin field recently Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
introduced to describe information propagation in natural 107 (26), 11865-11870
flocks of birds.
- Statistical mechanics for natural flocks of birds
- Silent Flocks Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
arXiv:1410.2868 109 (13), 4786-4791
 Emanuela Zaccarelli
contacts

emanuela.zaccarelli@phys.uniroma1.it
Office: Fermi Building, 106
http://glass.phys.uniroma1.it/Emanuela/

keywords
● Simulation and theory of soft matter systems
● Gel and glass transitions
● Complex effective interactions: novel phases and anomalous dynamics

Complex effective interactions Gels and Glasses

Colloidal particles can be treated as super- By tuning effective interactions, we find not
atoms moving in a continuum (solvent) in the only new thermodynamic phases (e.g. crystals
framework of statistical mechanics. They with unconventional lattice spacings) but also
interact with effective potentials that can be different types of disordered arrested states:
tuned arbitrarily by changing the properties of Gels where particles are organized into
the particle (e.g. shape, architecture, networks and Glasses where particles are
heterogenous surface) or by varying externally blocked by their neighbours.
the conditions of the solutions in which they
are suspended. In this way, they experience
interactions and show phenonema that are not
found in atomic or molecular systems.

Recent Results:
in collaboration with B. Ruzicka and R.
Angelini (CNR) we studied colloidal clays,
which form equilibrium gels (Nat. Mater. 10, 56
2011) and orientational glasses (Nat. Comm.
The simplest way to control the interactions 5, 3267 2014);
between colloids is to add smaller particles
(cosolute) in the solution, which originate so- in collaboration with P. Schurtenberger (Univ.
called depletion interactions. By tuning the Lund, Sweden), we study microgel polymeric
properties of the co-solutes, novel effects can particles, which swell upon increasing
be found. For example a co-solute close to its temperature, and can be studied at ultra-high
percolation transition induces so-called densities (Soft Matter 9, 3000 2013).
Casimir-like forces on the colloids.
in collaboration with U. Edinburgh and Madrid
N.Gnan, E. Zaccarelli, F.Sciortino Nature we study the interplay between crystals and
Communications 5, 3267 (2014) glasses in hard spheres (PNAS 111, 75 2014).