An improved radiation model and its applicability for understanding commuting patterns in Hungary Cover Image

An improved radiation model and its applicability for understanding commuting patterns in Hungary
An improved radiation model and its applicability for understanding commuting patterns in Hungary

Author(s): Levente Varga, Géza Tóth, Zoltán Néda
Subject(s): Social Sciences, Economy, Geography, Regional studies
Published by: Központi Statisztikai Hivatal
Keywords: human mobility models; commuters data; population income; density

Summary/Abstract: Several empirical models aimed at describing human mobility have been proposed in the past. Most of them are based on an unjustified analogy, with a focus on gravity and physical vector or scalar fields. Recently, however, statistical physicists introduced a new category of models that are theoretically motivated by a few simple and reasonable socio-economic assumptions. The Radiation Model (Simini et al. 2012) and the Radiation Model with Selection (Simini–Maritan–Néda 2013) are such successful approaches. Here, we introduce a new version of the radiation model, the Travel Cost Optimized Radiation Model, and test its applicability for describing the commuting patterns in Hungary. We compare critically the performance of this model with the results of the previous radiation type models.

  • Issue Year: 6/2016
  • Issue No: 02
  • Page Range: 27-38
  • Page Count: 12
  • Language: English