Group Chase and Escape

TL;DR

This paper introduces a simple yet rich model of group chase and escape, revealing optimal group sizes and self-organized spatial structures, with potential applications in understanding collective behavior.

Contribution

It presents a novel model of group chase and escape dynamics, demonstrating complex behaviors and optimal group sizes not previously documented.

Findings

Existence of an optimal number of chasers for given targets

Formation of self-organized spatial structures

Rich and complex behaviors from a simple model

Abstract

We describe here a new concept of one group chasing another, called "group chase and escape", by presenting a simple model. We will show that even a simple model can demonstrate rather rich and complex behavior. In particular, there are cases in which an optimal number of chasers exists for a given number of escapees (or targets) to minimize the cost of catching all targets. We have also found an indication of self-organized spatial structures formed by both groups.