Don't just do something, stand there! Reflections on the counterintuitive behavior of complex systems, seen through the eyes of System Dynamics, Systems Thinking and simulation.
A new paper on arXiv shows an interesting approach to visualizing time in systems with circadian or other rhythms. I haven’t figured out if it’s useful for oscillatory dynamic systems more generally, but it makes some neat visuals:
The method makes it possible to see changes in behavior in time series with waaay to many oscillations to explore on a normal 2D time-value plot:
Citation: Jeppe Sturis, Kenneth S. Polonsky, Erik Mokilde, and Eve van Cauter. Computer Model for Mechanisms Underlying Ultradian Oscillations of Insulin and Glucose. Am. J. Physiol. 260 (Endocrinol. Metab. 23): E801-E809, 1991.
Source: Replicated by Hank Taylor
Units: No Yes!
Format: Vensim
Ultradian Oscillations of Insulin and Glucose (Vensim .vpm)
Update, 10/2017:
Refreshed, with units defined (mathematically the same as before): ultradia2.vpm ultradia2.mdl
Further refined, for initialization in equilibrium (insulin by analytic expression; glucose by parameter). Glucose infusion turned on by default. Graphs added.