Structural Static DynamicData Model Behavioral Homogeneous Heterogeneous

While complex behavior can be generated through simple systems, as in chaotic and nonlinear systems, complex systems are found where a systems study contains multiple physical objects and interactions. Through the use of hierarchy, we are able to simplify and organize the complex system. Every level within the hierarchy may be reened into another level. System abstraction involves simpliication through structural system representation as well as through be-havioral approximations of executed model structure. There has been little work on creating a uniied tax-onomy for model abstraction. We present such a taxonomy and deene two major sub-elds of model abstraction, while illustrating both sub-elds through detailed examples. The introduction of this taxon-omy provides system and simulation researchers with a way in which to view and manage complex systems.