Theory of Search Games and Rendezvous

• Main Authors: Alpern, Steve, Gal, Shmuel
• Format: eBook
• Language: English
• Published: Boston, MA Springer 2002; Springer US; Kluwer Academic
• Edition: 1
• Series: International Series in Operations Research & Management Science
• Subjects: Calculus of Variations and Optimal Control; Optimization; Distribution (Probability theory; Economic theory; Economic Theory/Quantitative Economics/Mathematical Methods; Game theory; Game Theory, Economics, Social and Behav. Sciences; Mathematical optimization; Mathematics; Mathematics and Statistics; Operations research; Operations Research/Decision Theory; Probability Theory and Stochastic Processes; Search theory
• ISBN: 9780792374688; 0792374681; 9781441949080; 1475777949; 9781475777949; 1441949089
• ISSN: 0884-8289
• DOI: 10.1007/b100809

Search Theory is one of the classic methodological disciplines in operations research and applied mathematics. It deals with the problem faced by a searcher who wishes to minimize the time required to find a hidden object. Traditionally, the target of the search is assigned to have no motives of its own and is either stationary (for example, oil, network problems, and so on) or its motion is determined stochastically by known rules (financial markets, scheduling, genetics, and so on). This text widens the dimensions to the classical problem with the addition of an independent player of equal status to the searcher, who cares about being found or not being found. These multiple motives of searcher and hider are analytically and mathematically considered the book's two foci: Search Games (Book I) and Rendezvous Theory (Book II). Shmuel Gal's work on Search Games (Gal, 1980) stimulated considerable research in a variety of fields including Computer Science, Engineering, Biology, and Economics. New material is covered in both Search Games (Book I) and Rendezvous Theory (Book II).