percolation_simulation, an Octave code which simulates a percolation system. A rectangular region is decomposed into a grid of MxN squares. Each square may be porous or solid. We are interested in a path of porous squares connecting the top and bottom, or the left and right boundaries. The original code was written by Ian Cooper.
Both percolation and diffusion consider systems in which mixing occurs. Diffusion tends to ignore spatial variations in system properties, and concentrates on transport over time due to random fluctuations in position. Percolation concerns properties of an underlying substrate, which may or may not be conducive to fluid transfer through randomly existing channels, or the existence of large connected voids.
Variations of the percolation model can be applied to oil and gas exploration, underground water flow, the transmission of rumors, the spread of a forest fire, the spatial progress of an epidemic, or the chances that an object made of a combination of transmitting and insulating metals will pass a current from one side to the other.
The computer code and data files described and made available on this web page are distributed under the MIT license
percolation_simulation is available in a MATLAB version and an Octave version and a Python version.
octave_simulation, an Octave code which uses simulation to study card games, contests, and other processes which have a random element. Usually, the purpose is to try to predict the average behavior of the system over many trials.
The original code was written by Ian Cooper. This version is by John Burkardt.