Comparing the Effects of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Noise on the Vicsek Model in Three Dimensions

A group of simple individuals may show ordered, complex behavior through local interactions. This phenomenon is called collective behavior, which has been observed in a vast variety of natural systems such as fish schools or bird flocks. The Vicsek model is a well-established mathematical model to study collective behavior through interaction of individuals with their neighbors in the presence of noise. How noise is modeled can impact the collective behavior of the group. Extrinsic noise captures uncertainty imposed on individuals, such as noise in measurements, while intrinsic noise models uncertainty inherent to individuals, akin to free will. In this paper, the effects of intrinsic and extrinsic noise on characteristics of the transition between order and disorder in the Vicsek model in three dimensions are studied through numerical simulation.