PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Christopher M. Moore
AU  - Christopher R. Stieha
AU  - Ben C. Nolting
AU  - Maria K. Cameron
AU  - Karen C. Abbott
TI  - QPot: An R Package for Stochastic Differential Equation Quasi-Potential Analysis
AID  - 10.1101/029777
DP  - 2015 Jan 01
TA  - bioRxiv
PG  - 029777
4099  - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2015/10/23/029777.short
4100  - http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2015/10/23/029777.full
AB  - QPot (pronounced ) is an R package for analyzing two-dimensional systems of stochastic differential equations. It provides users with a wide range of tools to simulate, analyze, and visualize the dynamics of these systems. One of QPot’s key features is the computation of the quasi-potential, an important tool for studying stochastic systems. Quasi-potentials are particularly useful for comparing the relative stabilities of equilibria in systems with alternative stable states. This paper describes QPot’s primary functions, and explains how quasi-potentials can yield insights about the dynamics of stochastic systems. Three worked examples guide users through the application of QPot’s functions.