SEARCH FOR SUBDIFUSIVE PROCESSES IN CONFINED ANIMALS
diffusion, subdiffusion, termite, labyrinth
This master's thesis was a search for subdiffusion in worker termites of the genus Cornitermes Cumulans, also known as termites of the pasto. The experiments were carried out on plates 10 cm indiameter and 1 cm in height and were based on single-particle tracking. Termite movement was captured by a camera, initially for a period of 30 minutes. Data were collected by a program developed by professor Sidiney Geraldo Alves in Python language and using Fortran as a tool, algorithms were developed to analyze the series. The first tests were carried out in Petri dishes without traps or geometric restrictions, an exponent was found that matches with anomalous diffusion, but of the superdiffusive type. After these first experiments, we used a maze of the same size and height as the Petri dish. Several experiments were carried out and an exponent was found that also matches superdiffusion, but a slightly smaller exponent.