Impact of Leader-Follower Behavior on Evacuation Performance: An Exploratory Modeling Approach

Different leader-follower behaviors may be observed in models, such as group gathering, backtracking, and changing between groups. However, a comparison of these behaviors resulting in possible substantially different estimates of optimal evacuation procedures is lacking. Hence, we developed an agent-based model in combination with exploratory...

The Geopolitical Impact of Shale Gas: The Modelling Approach

The US’ shale gas revolution, a spectacular increase in natural gas extraction from previously unconventional sources, has led to considerable lower gas prices in North America. This study focusses on consequences of the shale gas revolution on state stability of traditional oil and gas exporting countries in the vicinity of the EU. For this...

Comparing behavioral dynamics across models: The case of copper

In many public policy issues diverging understandings of the system can be encountered. These diverging understandings can reside in the mental models of the different actors involved, or even be codified into structurally different models of the system. For an analyst it can be of great use to get insight into how and under what conditions the...

Exploring the effects of shale gas development on natural gas markets: A multi-method approach

Now that conventional gas resources are rapidly declining in many industrialised regions, national governments are considering the exploration and production of unconventional resources, with shale gas in particular. Large-scale development of these resources could significantly lower import dependency of the gas supply of many countries. The...

Modelling the Skinner Thesis: Consequences of a Lognormal or a Bimodal Resource Base Distribution

The copper case is often used as an example in resource depletion studies. Despite these studies, several profound uncertainties remain in the system. One of these uncertainties is the distribution of copper grades in the lithosphere. The Skinner thesis promotes the idea that copper grades may be distributed with a bimodal distribution instead...

Comparing Behavioral Dynamics Across Models: The Case of Copper

Analysing the uncertain future of copper with three exploratory system dynamics models

High copper prices, the prospect of a transition to a more sustainable energy mix and increasing copper demands from emerging economies have not led to an in-creased attention to the base metal copper in mineral scarcity discussions. The copper system is well documented, but especially regarding the demand of copper many uncertainties exist. In...