Predictability is dynamically constructed by topological collective modes in deterministic systems

Fuente: arXiv
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Autori principali: Koopmans, Lars, Kay, Elinor M., Youk, Hyun
Natura: Preprint
Pubblicazione: 2026
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author Koopmans, Lars
Kay, Elinor M.
Youk, Hyun
author_facet Koopmans, Lars
Kay, Elinor M.
Youk, Hyun
contents Deterministic many-body systems governed by simple interactions can self-organize into macroscopic patterns, and the determinants of long-time behavior are assumed to be encoded in the initial configuration. Here we show that predictability can instead be constructed dynamically rather than being accessible in the initial configuration. We study a generalized cellular automaton of secrete-and-sense cells that self-organizes from disorder into static configurations, rectilinear waves, or spiral waves. Although dynamics are deterministic, the final outcome cannot be reliably inferred from the initial state alone. Treating cell states as a discrete phase field, we uncover emergent topological modes - charged vortices connected by strings that form non-contractible loops. Tracking their dynamics reveals that predictive signatures of macroscopic fate appear only late in the trajectory: vortex annihilation becomes readable through loop loss, whereas vortex persistence remains unreadable until spiral waves form abruptly. These results show how predictability can be dynamically constructed in deterministic nonequilibrium systems.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2604_01088
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Predictability is dynamically constructed by topological collective modes in deterministic systems
Koopmans, Lars
Kay, Elinor M.
Youk, Hyun
Biological Physics
Statistical Mechanics
Pattern Formation and Solitons
Deterministic many-body systems governed by simple interactions can self-organize into macroscopic patterns, and the determinants of long-time behavior are assumed to be encoded in the initial configuration. Here we show that predictability can instead be constructed dynamically rather than being accessible in the initial configuration. We study a generalized cellular automaton of secrete-and-sense cells that self-organizes from disorder into static configurations, rectilinear waves, or spiral waves. Although dynamics are deterministic, the final outcome cannot be reliably inferred from the initial state alone. Treating cell states as a discrete phase field, we uncover emergent topological modes - charged vortices connected by strings that form non-contractible loops. Tracking their dynamics reveals that predictive signatures of macroscopic fate appear only late in the trajectory: vortex annihilation becomes readable through loop loss, whereas vortex persistence remains unreadable until spiral waves form abruptly. These results show how predictability can be dynamically constructed in deterministic nonequilibrium systems.
title Predictability is dynamically constructed by topological collective modes in deterministic systems
topic Biological Physics
Statistical Mechanics
Pattern Formation and Solitons
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2604.01088