A generalized q growth model based on nonadditive entropy

Abstract

We present a general growth model based on nonextensive statistical physics. We show that the most common unidimensional growth laws such as power law, exponential, logistic, Richards, Von Bertalanffy, Gompertz can be obtained. This model belongs to a particular case reported in (Physica A 369, 645 (2006)). The new evolution equation resembles the “universality” revealed by West for ontogenetic growth (Nature 413, 628 (2001)). We show that for early times the model follows a power law growth as [Formula: see text], where the exponent [Formula: see text] classifies different types of growth. Several examples are given and discussed.