Renormalization group evaluation of exponents in family name distributions

Andrea De Luca and Paolo Rossi

Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, 2009, vol. 388, issue 17, 3609-3614

Abstract: According to many phenomenological and theoretical studies the distribution of family name frequencies in a population can be asymptotically described by a power law. We show that the Galton–Watson process corresponding to the dynamics of a growing population can be represented in Hilbert space, and its time evolution may be analyzed by renormalization group techniques, thus explaining the origin of the power law and establishing the connection between its exponent and the ratio between the population growth and the name production rates.

Keywords: Branching process; Galton Watson; Renormalization group; Family name distribution; Power law; Population (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2009
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:phsmap:v:388:y:2009:i:17:p:3609-3614

DOI: 10.1016/j.physa.2009.04.017

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