Recent developments in superstatistics

Abstract

We provide an overview on superstatistical techniques applied to complex systems with time scale separation. Three examples of recent applications are dealt with in somewhat more detail: the statistics of small-scale velocity differences in Lagrangian turbulence experiments, train delay statistics on the British rail network, and survival statistics of cancer patients once diagnosed with cancer. These examples correspond to three different universality classes: Lognormal superstatistics, chi-square superstatistics and inverse chi-square superstatistics.

7 pages, 7 figures. Based on invited lectures given at the Sigma-Phi 08 conference, Kolympari, Crete (July 2008) and at the NEXT2008 conference, Foz do Iguasso, Brazil (October 2008). List of references extended